A LEGACY OF HONOR
Twenty Years of the California Firefighters Memorial
Although their lives are placed on the line daily, firefighters seldom make a big deal about their hero’s laurels. But each year, firefighters in California pay the ultimate price, either in the flash of an instant or the slow-motion torture of job-related illness.
National memorials to these fallen heroes already existed in Colorado Springs, CO and Emmetsburg, MD. But in 1992, then-CPF President Daniel A. Terry dreamed of a California tribute to fallen firefighters, located right on the historic grounds of California’s state Capitol in Sacramento.
Twenty years ago, that dream became a reality with the unveiling of the California Firefighters Memorial.
The journey began with legislation (AB 3198), by then-Assm. Rusty Arieas, to authorize putting the Memorial in the center of the historic Capitol Park. The site was dedicated three years later by then-Gov. Pete Wilson. From its inception, the Memorial was to include three basic elements:
“Fallen Brother”, created by Sacramento firefighter Jesus Romo, depicts a grief stricken firefighter struggling to remove a lifeless colleague from the flames.
“Holding the Line” depicts the teamwork and perseverance at the heart of the profession.
The Memorial Wall carries the name of every California firefighter who has died in the line of duty since 1850.
Building and maintaining a memorial on a state and national historic site without a dime of government money was a daunting challenge. With commitment, vision and plain hard work, more than $2 million was raised for the construction of the California Firefighters Memorial, more than 80% of it from firefighters themselves.
On April 6, 2002, thousands of uniformed firefighters and family members converged on Sacramento for the unveiling of the California Firefighters Memorial.
Led by the Pipes and Drums of the California Professional Firefighters, a sea of blue uniforms marched slowly from the steps of the Capitol to the Memorial site. Governor Gray Davis participated in the unveiling of the Memorial Wall, and firefighters from around the nation came to pay their respects.
Every year, the California Fire Foundation hosts the California Firefighters Memorial Ceremony. The annual ceremony honors individuals whose names are being added to the Memorial Wall – either from the previous year, or from earlier years. Two decades since its unveiling that Spring day, the number of firefighters honored has grown to more than 1,500.
In the two decades since its unveiling, the California Firefighters Memorial, and the annual memorial ceremony, have become much more than bronze statues and a polished limestone wall. The Memorial has become a place of reverence and remembrance, for firefighters and, especially, for the families of those who have fallen.
For Dan Terry, the unveiling two decades ago was a personal triumph. “My proudest day in this job.”