Medford Establishes Plans For Annual Firefighter Memorial Event

MEDFORD, MA — The city's firefighters will gather on Sunday, June 14, 2026, for the annual Fire Fighters Memorial Sunday service that honors active and retired Medford firefighters who have died during the last year. The service is scheduled to begin at 8:45 a.m. at the Medford Fire Fighters Memorial at Oak Grove Cemetery, with breakfast to follow at Engine Five on Medford Street.

Fire Fighters Memorial Sunday is held each June and has been a tradition for more than 120 years. The Medford Fire Fighters Relief Association and the Medford Professional Fire Fighters Association, IAFF Local 1032, sponsor the event.

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According to the announcement, the Relief Association is one of the oldest organizations of its type in the United States. Organized in 1893, it provided a small benefit to the wives of deceased members at a time when firefighters were unable to obtain life insurance.

Firefighter Jeremiah O’Brien, president of the Medford Professional Fire Fighters Association, IAFF Local 1032, will serve as master of ceremonies. The guest speaker will be Firefighter Paul Covelle, who the announcement described as one of the newest members of the Medford Fire Department. Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn is scheduled to speak as well. Covelle comes from a firefighting family and that his father, Paul, is a long-time member of the Everett Fire Department.

Bagpipers from the Kevin Barry Band will lead the procession and provide music during the service. The notice also asked attendees to note the 8:45 a.m. start time.

In the instance of bad weather, the service itself will move indoors to Engine Company Five.

The event serves as both a memorial and a longstanding city tradition, bringing together department members, local officials and residents to remember Medford firefighters who died over the past year. After the cemetery service, attendees are expected to continue the observance with breakfast at Engine Five in South Medford.

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