North Carolina Fallen Firefighters Memorial
"Honor and Sacrifice" ©

The idea for a memorial to honor North Carolina's fallen firefighters was born in 1999, the brainchild of Paul Dunwell, founder and past president of the North Carolina Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Seven years later, hundreds of firefighters from across the state came to witness the unveiling of this dream turned reality, and pay tribute to their brothers and sisters who had given the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

The day started with a parade of fire apparatus and personnel from those departments who had suffered a line of duty death. The parade wound through downtown Raleigh, and ended at Nash Square, the site of the new memorial.

Families and friends of fallen firefighters were the special guests on this historic day, and were escorted into the site by honor guard members as hundreds of firefighters lined the walkways in a solemn salute. The North Carolina Fallen Firefighters Foundation presented a who's who of guest speakers and performers for the Memorial and Dedication Ceremony. Once the memorial was officially unveiled, the names of each of the 164 fallen heroes was read, and family or department members presented with a folded flag and rose by the honor guard.

As the sun set, all of those present were invited to participate in a candlelight vigil and witness the official first-lighting of the memorial site, which was symbolically facilitated by the children of the fallen firefighters.

For more information about the North Carolina Fallen Firefighters Foundation and their mission, please visit their web site at http://www.ncfff.org.

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Photos by William Boggs, Eastern Wake Fire Department
Photos by Sue-Lynn Hinson
The memorial sculpture and all of the plaques were initially shrouded from view	Firefighters from all across the state lined each walkway into the site as families of the fallen were escorted to their seats
Nash Square was filled from one end to the other with firefighters and their families	Charlotte Fire Department's Pipes and Drums make a grand entrance	Raleigh firefighters remained on duty and answered several calls during the ceremony. The wailing sirens and air horn blasts that pierced the air were a fitting reminder to all those present just how often these brave men and women are asked to put their lives on the line for others.
Paul Dunwell and members of the foundation pull the shrouds off the sculpture as North Carolina State Fire Marshal Jim Long describes each figure		Honor guard members present a rose and folded American flag to families or department members representing each of the 164 fallen firefighters
Nash Square was surrounded by fire trucks from all over - here is Cary's aerial
Apex firefighters were amongst those who served as the original models for the sculpture	Advisory Board member Emmerson Woodall (left) and sculptor Carl Regutti	Foundation President Ed Brinson

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Copyright 2006 NCFirewolf