Two Oregon Firefighters Killed In The Line Duty To Be Honored In National Ceremony

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) is set to host the 42nd National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend on May 6-7, 2023, in Emmitsburg, Maryland. This year’s tribute will honor 79 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2022 and 65 firefighters who died in previous years.

During the ceremony, each fallen firefighter’s name will be inscribed on a bronze plaque and permanently added to the National Memorial to honor their ultimate sacrifices. Among the honorees are two Oregon firefighters: Firefighter Austin Smith, aged 30, of the St. Paul Fire District, who died while responding to a three-alarm barn fire on February 3, 2022, and Firefighter Logan Taylor, aged 25, of the Sasquatch Reforestation, who died after being struck by a tree while fighting the Rum Creek Fire in Josephine County, OR, on August 18, 2022.

The NFFF will host two events open to the public at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Park on the grounds of the National Emergency Training Center during Memorial Weekend. The National Fallen Firefighters Candlelight Service will be on May 6 at 7:30 pm ET, hosted by Fire Captain Garon Mosby of the St. Louis Fire Department. The National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service will be on May 7 at 10:00 am ET, hosted by journalist Hillary Howard.

The Memorial Weekend events are a time for families, coworkers, and the community to come together to share, heal, and commemorate each firefighter’s commitment to public duty.

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas is scheduled to address the thousands of attendees at the Memorial Service on May 7. The NFFF presents each family with an American flag that has flown over the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial and the U.S. Capitol, a badge, and a rose during the service.

For those who cannot attend in person, the NFFF will live stream both events on their website, YouTube channel, and Facebook page.

The public is also encouraged to participate in Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters (May 4-7) by lighting their homes, businesses, landmarks, or fire departments with red lights, as well as signing the virtual Remembrance Banner, Sound the Sirens, and Bells Across America to remember the fallen firefighters.

The American flag will also be lowered to half-staff on all Federal buildings on Sunday, May 7, to honor the fallen firefighters.

The 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 Department of Homeland Security.

Don’t miss out on the events honoring the brave firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice. Join the NFFF in paying tribute to these heroes.