‘Remember the Good in Your Firefighter’

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas paid tribute this week to the 79 firefighters who died in 2022 and all those previous to that, and said that fires are increasingly a threat to homeland security and that firefighters still need the tools, training and resources to prepare for the challenges ahead.

Mayorkas said that the emergencies that firefighters face are as varied as life. ”One thing is constant throughout it all,” he said. “The qualities of courage, devotion to duty, service and sacrifices that define the character of a firefighter.”

Mayorkas was speaking along with U.S. Fire Administrator Lori Moore-Merrell at the 42nd National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Memorial Weekend May 7 in Emmitsburg, Md., according to a press release.

Moore-Merrell said that the bravery of firefighters and paramedics was unmatched and urged anyone who has lost a loved one in the line of duty to always remember their impact.

“Firefighters and paramedics are a special breed — you know that,” she said. “Many times I have asked them, ‘Why do you do this? Why did you become a firefighter?’ Their response far and above is ‘To serve others.’”

Moore-Merrell went on to say that it is important to “remember the good in your firefighter.”

“Remember the laughs, a meal that you had with them, perhaps a gift they gave you. Remember the influence and impact they had on your life, whether you were family, a close friend or even an acquaintance.”

During the event, Mayorkas met with fire service leaders about U.S. fire strategy and goals, including preparing for climate-driven changes, establishing a strategy for fighting off cancer, investing in a national recruitment and retention program, providing behavioral wellness resources, implementing and enforcing codes and standards and elevating the fire service to a national level of visibility.