At Memorial, President Honors Fallen Firefighters

In a memorial event Sunday in Emmitsburg, President Barack Obama hailed the firefighters around the country who have made the ultimate sacrifice to keep their communities safe.

“Our prayers are with their families, many of whom honor us with their presence today,” Obama said. “You remember them as moms and dads, siblings and spouses, friends and neighbors. Today, we remember them and salute them as the heroes that they were.”

The president addressed an audience of several thousand people that included the families and friends of 87 firefighters who died in the line of duty. He also met with and offered condolences to the firefighters’ families.

The annual memorial service, sponsored by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, took place at Mount St. Mary’s University. The service honored 84 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2014 and three others who died in previous years, the Associated Press reported.

The president also paid tribute to the firefighters who have battled “some of the most severe wildfire seasons in American history,” from California to North Carolina.

“So far this year, nearly 50,000 wildfires have burned more than 9 million acres - an area larger than the entire state of Maryland,” Obama said. At their peak, 32,000 firefighters were battling the fires, and 13 lost their lives. To see the president’s entire speech, click here.

Emmitsburg is the home of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Park, which honors those who have died in the line of duty. For more information, please click here.