For the first time since it was founded in 1992, the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend will not be held in person as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. First responders in Westerly, Stonington and Charlestown are doing their part to make sure those who died in the line of service are not forgotten.

Multiple police, fire and EMS services across the region will be lighting their buildings up in red over the weekend to honor 103 firefighters nationwide who died in the line of the duty, including 82 who were killed in 2019.

The effort is part of the annual Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters, which first began as a candlelight vigil held on the first Saturday in October during the annual memorial weekend hosted at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Md.

Residents and business owners throughout the region are encouraged to take part as well by installing red lights outside their homes or buildings, and they can show their support by sharing pictures on social media using the hashtag #nffflightthenight2020.

Please see the attached Westerly Sun article for more information.

For specific information on Light the Night and the Annual Memorial, as well as links to Sunday's broadcast, please visit

https://www.firehero.org/events/memorial-weekend/