COLORADO SPRINGS — Thousands of people are en route to Colorado Springs for this weekend’s annual Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial ceremony.
”It's the largest year we've ever had,” said Colorado Springs Firefighters Local 5 President, Curt Crumb.
This year 572 names will be added to the walls of the memorial.
Due to COVID-caused cancellations from previous years, names this year are a combination of 2021 and 2022.
3,800 family members have registered to attend.
2,500 International Association of Fire Fighters members are on their way to be part of the honor guard.
“Our goal is to make everybody feel special when they come here. This is obviously a solemn event for them. So it’s an event that we cherish, and we honor, but it is a solemn moment and it means somebody lost their life in the line of duty which we never want to see,” said Crumb.
All downtown Colorado Springs hotels will be filled by the end of the week with guests for the memorial.
A command center is set up to transport and support honored guests from arrival to departure.
“We have what we call a war room,” said Crumb, “And that would be like a dispatch center.”
280 volunteers answer questions and offer suggestions of where to go and what to eat.
36 shuttle vehicles are on the move from morning to night.
Crumb said, “It's pretty amazing. It's very heartwarming and touching.”
The 2023 Fallen Firefighter Memorial Service starts at 11:00 am on Saturday, September 16th.
Anyone who wants to attend is welcome.
Click here for more information.
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