Peace officers and members of the armed forces who lose their lives in the line of duty are honored on certain days of the year; now, firefighters might have their own day of remembrance.
Rep. Mike Obermueller (DFL-Eagan) and Sen. Jim Carlson (DFL-Eagan) sponsor HF422/SF237* that would designate the first Sunday in October as Fallen Firefighters Memorial Day. The bill specifies that Minnesota and U.S. flags on the Capitol grounds must be flown at half-staff on that day.
The House passed the bill 133-0 on May 12 without debate. Having been passed 62-0 by the Senate on March 9, the bill is now headed for Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s desk.
Obermueller said there are 187 known firefighter line-of-duty deaths since the establishment of the state’s first fire department in Minneapolis in 1881.
“This bill is a great opportunity to honor the men and women who have lost their lives as well as those who are currently serving us,” Obermueller said.
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