The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) will host the 44th National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend on May 3-4 in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
This year’s national tribute will honor 70 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2024, as well as 70 firefighters who died in previous years.
Among those honored is Greene County Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Christopher Robert Eddy, who died in an explosion on Sept. 27, 2024, at the age of 35, while he was investigating a tractor-trailer fire on Hwy. 15 north of Greensboro.
Other Georgia firefighters being honored include:
- Firefighter/EMT Robert D. Davis, age 48, of Dobbins Air Reserve Base Fire and Emergency Services, who died on Feb. 10, 2023, after participating in aircraft demolition and extrication training days earlier and suffering a heart attack.
- Assistant Fire Chief Vernon Leon Davis, age 69, of the Blackshear Fire Department, died on Sept. 27, 2024, after a tree fell on his truck while responding to Hurricane Helene.
Detailed information about each of the firefighters being memorialized can be found on the 2025 Roll of Honor located at firehero.org/2025-roll-of-honor/.
“This weekend is a powerful reminder of the extraordinary courage and commitment of those who put their lives on the line to protect others,” NFFF Board of Directors Chair Troy Markel said. “We come together not only to remember the fallen, but to stand in solidarity with their families and departments, letting them know their loved ones will never be forgotten.”
“Each of these 140 firefighters made the ultimate sacrifice in service to others — a profound sacrifice that defines true heroism,” NFFF CEO Victor Stagnaro added. “Memorial Weekend is a time for our nation to come together to honor their bravery, to stand beside their families, and ensure their legacy lives on in every community they so selflessly served.”
There are two events open to the public at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Park, located on the grounds of the National Emergency Training Center, during Memorial Weekend.
The National Fallen Firefighters Candlelight Service will be held May 3 at 7:30 p.m. and will be hosted by St. Louis Fire Department Captain Garon Mosby. The National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service will be held May 4 at 10 a.m. and will be hosted by actor Jeremy Holm.
Fire service and government leaders are scheduled to address the thousands of attendees at the memorial service on May 4. The NFFF will live-stream both events on its website (firehero.org), YouTube channel, and Facebook page. VISTA Worldlink, Comcast, and Peak Uplink provide technical support.
There are additional events during Memorial Weekend provided exclusively for the families and fire departments of honored firefighters. These include small group sessions and other activities throughout Friday and Saturday; they are open to the families and coworkers of newly honored and previously honored firefighters.
Those not attending Memorial Weekend in person can also pay tribute to this year’s honored firefighters.
Everyone can participate in Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters, held from April 27 to May 4, by lighting their homes, businesses, landmarks, or fire departments with red lights.
Other ways to remember include Bells Across America, Sound the Sirens, and by signing a virtual Remembrance Banner. For more information, visit bit.ly/42MgMIb.
In addition, the American flag will be lowered to half-staff on all federal buildings on Sunday, May 4. The public is also encouraged to drop their American flags that day to recognize the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Memorial Weekend is supported by individual and corporate donors, a grant from the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, and in partnership with the U.S. Fire Administration, a component of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.