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Bonners Ferry to honor fallen firefighters |
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September 17, 2016 |
 The
Bonners Ferry City Fire Department, Providence
Bible Presbyterian Church and the Boundary
County Chaplains Corps would like to remind
everyone that every October, the National Fallen
Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) sponsors the
official national tribute to all firefighters
who died in the line of duty during the previous
year.
The survivors of the fallen and thousands of
fire service members gather for the National
Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend in
Emmitsburg, Maryland, to honor the lives and
sacrifices of these heroes.
“Firefighters possess an extraordinary blend of
courage and compassion which allows them to
willingly face tremendous risks to help those in
need,” said Chief Dennis Compton, Chairman of
the NFFF Board of Directors. “Each fall, we
gather to reflect on the sacrifices of those who
died in the line of duty and to let their
families, friends and co-workers know they will
never be forgotten.”
Join the NFFF, the U.S. Fire Service, Boundary
County Chaplain Corps and Boundary County fire
service agencies in honoring the lives of 79
firefighters who died nationwide in the line of
duty in 2015 and 33 firefighters who died in
previous years during our local memorial service
held at 2 p.m. Sunday, October 9, at Station 1
in downtown Bonners Ferry.
Although the number of firefighters honored this
year is higher than in recent years, the number
of line-of-duty deaths that occurred in 2015 is
actually lower. The increase reflects the new
ruling that Public Safety Officer Benefits
recognize deaths caused by illnesses from 9/11
as line-of-duty. This year, the names of 22 FDNY
members who died before 2015 and two who died in
2015 from 9/11-related illnesses will be added
to the Memorial.
It is a time-honored tradition to ring bells
during funerals and memorial services for
firefighters.
Here in Bonners Ferry, a parade of fire
apparatus will lead to City Fire's Main Station
downtown at 2 p.m. on that Sunday afternoon to
ring the fire house bells, reflect, read the
list of those that lost their lives in the fire
service last year, and encourage the living.
Everyone is invited to attend. Providence Bible
Presbyterian Church is the official church
sponsor of this event through the Bells Across
America for Fallen Firefighters program, and all
area churches are encouraged to participate by
ringing their church bells at some time during
the October 8-9 weekend. More information about
the Bells Across America program may be found
online at
http://www.firehero.org/events/memorial-weekend/about/bells-across-america.
For more information about our local
remembrance, or to volunteer to assist with the
event, please contact City Fire Chaplain Len
Pine at (208) 267-3327. |
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