The first weekend of May is usually a busy weekend with many activities. Many people outside of the fire service are not aware of this, but the first weekend in May is the National Fallen Firefighter Memorial Weekend when the names of firefighters who died in the line of duty in the past year are memorialized on the National Fallen Firefighter Memorial in Emmitsburg, MD, on the grounds of the National Fire Academy. This year the names of 226 Firefighters will be added to the memorial.

To help show support for the families of the fallen, many fire service organizations, landmarks, homes, and public buildings will be displaying red outside lights for Light The Night For Fallen Firefighters.

The Memorial is run by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. The Foundation provides support for the families of fallen firefighters, including scholarships and many other support programs. In addition they help develop and deliver training programs across the country to help reduce firefighter injuries and fatalities. Additional information can be found at www.firehero.org.