The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) is set to host the 43rd National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend on May 4-5, 2024, in Emmitsburg, Maryland. This annual tribute will honor 89 firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty in 2023, along with 137 firefighters from previous years.
Among those being commemorated are Missouri firefighters Lloyd Ruediger and Raymond Wynn. Firefighter Lloyd Ruediger, aged 84, from the New Haven-Berger Fire Protection District, responded to a residential fire on June 25, 2023. After returning home around 10:30 p.m., he was found deceased the following morning from an apparent heart attack. Captain Raymond Wynn, aged 62, from the Kansas City Fire Department, passed away on March 27, 2021, due to complications from metastatic lung cancer, which was deemed a line-of-duty death by the State of Missouri.
Comprehensive information about each of the 226 firefighters being memorialized is available on the 2024 Roll of Honor. Victor Stagnaro, CEO of the NFFF, stated, “National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend is a time for our nation to pause and reflect on the heroic efforts and selfless service of the fallen firefighters we are honoring this year. We will always remember the bravery, commitment, and sacrifices of these 226 heroes—and their families.”
The public is invited to attend two events at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Park on the grounds of the National Emergency Training Center (NETC) during Memorial Weekend:
- The National Fallen Firefighters Candlelight Service will take place on May 4 at 7:30 p.m. ET, hosted by Fire Captain Garon Mosby of the St. Louis Fire Department.
- The National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service will occur on May 5 at 10:00 a.m. ET, hosted by actor Jeremy Holm.
Fire service and government leaders will address attendees at the Memorial Service on Sunday, May 5. Both events will be live-streamed on the NFFF’s website (firehero.org), YouTube channel, and Facebook page.
Exclusive events for the families and fire departments of the honored firefighters are scheduled throughout Friday and Saturday, including small group sessions and other activities.
Schedule
Saturday, May 4, 2024
- Candlelight Service
- Time: 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. ET
- Streaming begins at 7:00 p.m. ET
Sunday, May 5, 2024
- Memorial Service
- Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ET
- Streaming begins at 9:30 a.m. ET
The NFFF will provide live satellite feeds for both events, with technical support from VISTA Worldlink, Comcast Beltway, and INTELSAT. Satellite coordinates are available at live.firehero.org.
Location National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Park National Emergency Training Center (NETC) 16835 S. Seton Avenue Emmitsburg, MD 21727
