In preparation for the 35th Annual National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend, leaders of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus will present 112 American flags flown over the U.S. Capitol to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) at the Upper Senate Park on Wednesday, September 28 at 2:00 pm.

Join area firefighters, Congressional representatives and U.S. Fire Administration leaders in this special tribute to 79 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2015 and 33 who died in previous years. These flags will be given to surviving relatives at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service on Sunday, October 9 in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

“The Foundation is honored by this gesture from Congress. It illustrates the great respect so many citizens have for the fire service,” said Chief Ronald J. Siarnicki, executive director of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

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Following brief remarks by Fire Caucus leaders, a fire service honor guard will conduct a formal flag-folding ceremony. The flags will be placed in special cases, carried to a fire engine then escorted by motorcade to Emmitsburg for a brief ceremony. The flag cases will be displayed in the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Chapel until the service on Sunday.

The Congressional Flag Presentation Ceremony was coordinated by CFSI, NFFF and leaders of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus.

Motorcade Travel Route:

The fire engine will leave the Capitol Complex at approximately 3:00 pm and travel from the District of Columbia to I-395 South and onto the northbound George Washington Memorial Parkway. From there, the motorcade will follow the Capital Beltway to Maryland and I-270 North, then take I-70 North to Frederick. It will then travel North on Route 15 to Emmitsburg, exiting onto South Seton Avenue. The motorcade is expected to arrive at the campus of the National Emergency Training Center and the home of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial at approximately 5:15 pm. Individuals interested in observing the motorcade are encouraged to be cautious and stop only in a safe location along the route.