On Wednesday, April 15, leaders of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus presented 204 American flags flown over the U.S. Capitol to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF). Each flag represents a firefighter honored on the 2026 Roll of Honor—97 who died in the line of duty in 2025 and 107 who died in previous years.
During the ceremony, members of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus—including Congressman Mike Bost (IL-12), Chair of the Caucus; Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-5), Dean of the Caucus; Senator Gary Peters (MI), Co-Chair; and Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN), Co-Chair—formally presented the flags to the NFFF. Victor Stagnaro, CEO of the NFFF, accepted the flags as part of this solemn annual tradition held in the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill.
Joining Mr. Stagnaro were Assistant Chief Anthony Kelleher of the District of Columbia Fire and EMS Department; Chief Donna Black, CEO of the International Association of Fire Chiefs; and Michaela Campbell, Executive Director of the Congressional Fire Services Institute. House Chaplain Margaret Grun Kibben delivered the invocation and offered a blessing over the flags, while Sabrail Davenport, mother of fallen firefighter Jared Lloyd, led the Pledge of Allegiance—adding a deeply personal tribute to the ceremony.
Following the ceremony, the flags were transported to Memorial Park at the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, Maryland, where they will be flown over the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial. These same flags will serve as a powerful symbol during the upcoming 45th Annual National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend, when the firefighters on this year’s Roll of Honor will be honored by a grateful nation alongside Fire Hero Families from across the country.
Each flag will be presented to a fallen firefighter’s family during the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service on Sunday, May 3, in Emmitsburg, Maryland—a lasting tribute to the lives of courage, service, and sacrifice.
The Memorial Service is open to the public and will be livestreamed beginning at 10:00 a.m. ET. To access the livestream and learn more about how to honor our nation’s fallen heroes, please visit: weekend.firehero.org.
