Although organized efforts to combat urban fires have existed for more than two millennia, International Firefighters' Day (IFFD) was first celebrated on May 4, 1999. It's a day to honor the men and women who help keep us safe, protect our property, our communities, and our wilderness, as well as the men and women who have sacrificed their lives in the service of duty.
Every individual in the emergency service career is acknowledged; hazardous materials specialists, fire prevention specialists, paid firefighters, volunteer firefighters, wildland firefighters, fire fighting heavy equipment operators/mechanics, and many others are among the many aspects of IFFD; emergency response personnel, emergency medical technicians, and many others are listed; and many more.
Use the IFFD ribbon or mount it on your vehicle in a clear way. The IFFD ribbons are linked to colors that represent the key elements firefighters work with – red for fire and blue for water. These colors are also used internationally to represent emergency services.
Participate in local emergency services providers' events, including memorial services, open house, parades, and motorcycle runs.
Fire sirens sound for 30 seconds followed by a minute of silence in honor of, and respect for, all firefighters who have been injured in the line of duty or passed on before us, or those who have been killed in the line of duty.
Follow on Social Media to keep up. IFFD can be found on Twitter and Flickr.
www.firefighter.org For more details, visit firefightersday.org.
History
On May 4, 1999, the first ever International Firefighters' Day was held in the United States, and it was widely recognized around the world.
St. Florian, the patron saint of firefighters, chimney sweeps, and brewers, is commemorated as a feast day in the Catholic tradition. The cross of Saint Florian remains a common symbol of firefighters and the agencies that support them. So, the feast day that honors firefighters' patron saint, firefighters, was chosen as the day to celebrate the service and sacrifice of firefighters around the world.
