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Flags at Half-staff in Honor of Fallen Firefighters

By KFBB News Team

Story Created: Oct 16, 2011 at 9:39 PM MDT

Story Updated: Oct 16, 2011 at 10:35 PM MDT

Friday Governor Schweitzer issued a proclamation ordering all flags on Montana state property to be flown at half-staff today. This is in honor of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service.
For the last 30 years, a weekend in October has been dedicated to honoring firefighters lost in the line of duty. Held in Maryland, there are special programs for survivors and public ceremonies. It is a special time of remembrance and healing.

Nate Schmidt is a Great Falls Firefighter. He says, “you don't realize it before you get into this line of work, but all of a sudden you've got a whole other family, not just with the guys that you work with, but with the communities you're there to support and help out”. He continues, “it’s important to let those families know that we remember our brothers that have fallen before us”.

Great Falls firefighters feel it's extremely important to support the families left behind as well as remember the sacrifice of their brethren that went before them because it could be anyone the next time.

A plaque with the names of 72 firefighters who died in the line of duty last year will be added to the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial. The names of 17 firefighters who died in previous years will also be added. This memorial honors over 3,400 since it began in 1981.

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