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Red Deer to honour Firefighters’ National Memorial Day

Sep 7, 2017 | 2:10 PM

This Sunday, September 10 the public is invited to join Red Deer Emergency Services’ Honour Guard for a Memorial March.

Canada’s Minister of Public Safety and Preparedness, Ralph Goodale, recently announced that the second Sunday in September of each year is now Firefighters’ National Memorial Day. The day is designated in the memories of firefighters who have fallen in the line of duty.

“Firefighters put their safety on the line in service to Canadians. Firefighters’ National Memorial Day will allow us to commemorate those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, and with the new grant program created in our last budget, we will demonstrate our support for their loved ones on a national scale,” said Goodale in a press release.

The new grant Goodale mentions came in Budget 2017 and allocates $80 million over five years, starting in 2018-2019, and $20 million thereafter for the establishment of a grant program to support the families of public safety officers who have fallen in the line of duty.

According to the Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation, over 1,300 firefighters died in the line of duty since 1848.

During the Red Deer ceremony this Sunday, Emergency Services Honour Guards will lay a wreath of remembrance and observe a minute of silence to remember and reflect on the loss of firefighters, emergency medical service members, and law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in service of their community.

Red Deer Fire Chief Brian Makey said it’s wonderful to see the recognition on a national level for these members of our community.

“This has been in the works for many years, a decade at least. As we move forward there’s also the public service officers’ benefit as well providing assistance to those families of the fallen first responders,” said Makey.

He said it’s great to have a designated national day to recognize something that is so important.

“I think when you take a look at what’s happening within our country with regards to [the] wildfires or down in the United States now with hurricane Harvey I think that really what it is is recognition that these people do sacrifice a lot when they put themselves in danger and they do so selflessly.”

The service in Red Deer will begin at 9:30 a.m. Uniformed members of both RCMP and Emergency Services will be on parade as well. Guests for the service are asked to gather in City Hall Park.

Both the Canada flag and the City of Red Deer flag will flow at half-mast for the day.