City: Colorado Springs, CO

Category: Annual Events & Festivals

Description: The IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial honors professional firefighters and emergency medical personnel who have given their lives in the line of duty. Each September, the IAFF conducts a respectful, touching ceremony to honor those who have given their lives in the line of duty during the previous year. The uplifting and reverent ceremony is for family, friends, and the public who wish to show their gratitude.Located in Memorial Park in clear view of Pikes Peak, the Memorial’s moving centerpiece is a bronze likeness of a firefighter descending a ladder while cradling an infant in one arm. Towering 20 feet above the park’s greenery, the sculpture epitomizes the courage and bravery displayed daily by professional firefighters across the continent. Bordering this sculpture is a Wall of Honor, which lists the names of brothers and sisters killed in the line of duty since 1976, when the US federal government first began tracking line-of-duty deaths in the fire service. As the original wall has filled to near capacity with names of fallen heroes, a second wall was erected just a few steps from the original Wall of Honor. Paving stone, monument lighting, flag standards, and walkways make this a beautiful tribute.