International Firefighters’ Day to be celebrated on May 4

ZANESVILLE, Ohio- International Firefighters’ Day is observed every year on May 4 to honor and recognize the fallen firefighters who have sacrificed their lives to help keep the community safe.

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) is a non-profit foundation that honors and remembers the lives of fallen heroes as well as provide resources to assist their families in rebuilding their lives. The NFFF encourages the public to honor all fallen firefighters on May 4.

“They’re asking to have a red light bulb on the porch that day and night to show that you’re recognizing the fallen firefighters,” Muskingum County Firefighters Association president Robert Hartman said.

Hartman is the president of the Muskingum County Firefighters Association. He has also been a firefighter and an advanced EMT for 41 years.

“People sometimes forget that the job is very stressful. There is a chance that you might not come back from the job, the fire or whatever you’re at…Unless you were actually in the service and you have someone in your department who has died in the service of the department at a scene, it’s kind of hard to put into words how you feel about it,” Hartman said. 

For more information about International Firefighters’ Day and how you can help honor and support, visit Firehero.org.