”Keep Fighting” is an exclusive CRACKYL content series from the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) aimed at educating the fire service through first-hand accounts
This past May, our annual Memorial Weekend honored 204 firefighters — 97 who died in the line of duty in 2025 and 107 from previous years who are now named on a bronze plaque at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
Led by a devoted group of volunteers and fire service professionals from across the U.S., it was a successful event, with the lives of so many of our fallen brothers and sisters celebrated and their sacrifices now etched in Memorial Park, to be remembered forever.
But while these heroes live on in memory, their families — and all the loved ones still grieving — march on, cherishing the accomplishments and precious memories of the spouse, parent, or sibling they’ve lost.
“Memorial Weekend not only honors the firefighters we have lost, but also reinforces our commitment to caring for the families they left behind,” says Gary Krichbaum, incident commander for the NFFF Memorial Service.
These families need support. And while the Memorial Weekend offers plenty in the way of comfort and community through events meant to celebrate firefighters who’ve paid the ultimate price, Fire Hero Families require care long after the flags are presented and the names are read.
The event strives to be an introduction to and affirmation of this care. Thanks to the work of our planning and support teams, this year was no exception.
“From remembrance ceremonies and family dinners to children’s activities and peer support opportunities, every part of the weekend is intended to remind families that they remain part of the fire service family,” says Krichbaum. “It reflects the ongoing promise that the sacrifice made by their loved one will never be forgotten — and neither will they.”
Remembering the Fallen
The central focus of every Memorial Weekend is to acknowledge those firefighters we’ve lost with eternal remembrance on the Roll of Honor.
To get thousands of family members, friends, and significant others to the campus of the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg is no small feat, and it’s one event organizers are committed to seeing through, year after year.
“Our goal is to get every single firefighter represented, and make sure their families, their loved ones, and their closest coworkers are here,” says Joanne Rund, Family Programs Director for NFFF.
Joanne’s team was critical in not only inviting and welcoming those grieving a lost loved one. They accommodated both first-time and returning fire hero families on a campus that represents the heart of fire service, where firefighters from across the country come to learn, lead, and make the profession stronger.
For many families, this symbolism can reinforce how their loved ones’ sacrifice remains part of the fire service’s mission, tradition, and future. But for those attending their first Memorial Weekend, it can be overwhelming while honoring someone so central to their lives.
“They’re nervous. They’re hesitant. They’re worried about what this is going to be,” says Rund of new Fire Hero Families guided by her staff. “For some of these families, if their line-of-duty death happened in January, they might’ve gone through four or five other memorials this year, so they’re worn down. For other families, Memorial Weekend is the very first event they’ve attended.”
Caring for Families
For Joanne, Gary, and their teams, fallen firefighters’ families and loved ones are always the central focus of the annual Memorial Weekend. Firefighters and their families come from all over the U.S. to honor hundreds of brave souls, but whether their loss was recent or years ago, the memorial symbolizes not only, the Nations gratitude, but that they never have to walk through this journey alone.
Thankfully, support comes from committed event volunteers who spent tireless hours all year to make the weekend perfect for the families. Once events started, many served as personal family escorts to assure attendees are taken care of from the moment they arrived until the minute they leave.
“That’s what we want for our families: for them to feel loved, to have our arms wrapped around them, and know that they’re not alone. That we are here to support them,” says Rund.
From individual moments viewing names on the Memorial plaque and creating luminaries for their fallen loved one to gathering with their larger fire service community for dinners, candlelight services, and the national memorial service on Sunday, provide vital comfort.
This collective embrace is what our community is about. Our aim is for every family member to feel it and know it’s genuine. We’re all in this together — and we will get through it together.
“We want them to know and feel that we care, because we do,” says Rund. “The nation cares that they lost their loved one, someone we’ll never forget.”
Support for More Than One Weekend
This year’s weekend was a testament to honor and sacrifice. Crucially, our work doesn’t stop at memorializing our nation’s Fire Heroes each May.
“The NFFF maintains year-round connection with families of fallen firefighters,” says Krichbaum. “While the weekend serves as an important time of remembrance, the support continues well beyond the event.”
Thanks to long-term services and resources established by the NFFF, we connect families with survivor resources, peer support programs, and counseling services. Through the Fire Hero Family Network, loved ones gain access to other families who have experienced similar losses. We organize scholarship programs and the Hal Bruno Summer Camp for children, as well as community-supportive events throughout the year.
“Support is there from A to Z, no matter what A to Z means to each person,” says Rund.
These ongoing connections provide meaningful and sustained support over time, and many families develop lasting relationships with firefighters and volunteers who return each year to support them. These relationships often become an important source of comfort, trust, and according to Krichbaum, a significant bond with the fire service community long after events like Memorial Weekend conclude.
“More than anything, I hope people left feeling connected, supported, and remembered. Memorial Weekend is about honoring sacrifice, but it’s also about reminding families that their loved ones will never be forgotten,” says Krichbaum. “I hope attendees walked away with a sense of pride, comfort, and the knowledge that the fire service community will continue to stand with them not just during the memorial, but every day moving forward.”
The NFFF has strived to create a year-round support system for Fire Hero Families that is second to none. This year’s new attendees saw this firsthand. Returning families were reminded of the impact this care can have.
We hope everyone gathered in Emmitsburg felt how much stronger we can be when we stand together as one compassionate community, helping one another through our hardest times.
*If you’re a member of the fire service community and would like to lend a hand in next year’s Memorial Weekend events, click here.*
