Fallen firefighters honored at ceremony in Springfield
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The Springfield Fire Department held a special ceremony Monday morning outside of their headquarters.
The fire department and members of the community came together at the Fallen Firefighter Memorial to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice protecting the people of Springfield.
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Various captains, the Fire Commissioner, and Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno all spoke and shared appreciation for the men and women who run towards danger as others are running away. There are 26 names on the memorial, including a chief, lieutenant, and numerous firefighters.
'It's great to see the community members come out and pay respect to these members, the same as the fire department does,' said Springfield Fire Commissioner B.J. Calvi. 'And so they truly understand their safety is provided by human beings who go to work every day, just like they do, and go out of their way and risk their lives just to protect them.'
Three wreaths were then laid by the memorial, one for those who have fallen, one for those who have retired, and the last for those who have died from cancer. Occupational cancer is the leading cause of death for firefighters.
While there are 26 names on the memorial, the community and fire department also continue to remember the fallen firefighters' families, who will forever be impacted by their sacrifice to the city of Springfield.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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