MADISON — As previously announced, on Sat., Sept. 28, 2024, and Sat., Oct. 12, 2024, the flags of the United States and the state of Wisconsin will be flown at half-staff coinciding with the Final Alarm Ceremony and Silent Procession at the Wisconsin Fire & EMS Memorial Park in Wisconsin Rapids, which is hosted by the Wisconsin Fire & EMS Memorial, and in honor of Wisconsin Firefighters Memorial Day. In May, Gov. Evers signed Executive Order #222 ordering the flags to be flown at half-staff on Sun., May 5, 2024, in honor of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service during National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend. Executive Order #222 also ordered the flags to be flown at half-staff on Sat., Sept. 28, 2024, in recognition of the Final Alarm Ceremony at the Wisconsin Fire & EMS Memorial, and again on Sat., Oct. 12, 2024, as required by state statute in observance of Wisconsin Firefighters Memorial Day during Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 6 through Oct. 12, 2024. “Day in and day out, Wisconsin’s firefighters and emergency service professionals risk their own health and safety to keep us safe and serve us and our communities during our worst days, often at great personal risk and sacrifice,” said Gov. Evers. “We will continue to honor the bravery and selflessness of those firefighters who have tragically fallen in the line of duty, on Firefighters Memorial Day and throughout the year, we remember their immense sacrifice.” Previously, National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend had been held in October, but beginning in 2023, was moved from October to May by the National Fallen Firefighter Foundation. However, in Wisconsin, Wis. Stat. 995.225(1) still designates each week annually during which October 9 falls as Fire Prevention Week and designates the Saturday at the end of Fire Prevention Week as Wisconsin Firefighters Memorial Day. Executive Order #222 subsequently orders the flags to be flown at half-staff on Sat., Sept. 28, 2024, in recognition of the Final Alarm Ceremony at the Wisconsin Fire & EMS Memorial, and on Sat., Oct. 12, 2024, in honor of Fire Prevention Week, which features observances, ceremonies, exercises, and activities related to fire safety education, and culminates with the observance of Wisconsin Firefighters Memorial Day in recognition of the firefighters of this state who made the ultimate sacrifice in the performance of their duties over the course of the year. A copy of the governor’s forthcoming 2024 Fire Prevention Week proclamation is available here. A copy of the governor’s forthcoming Wisconsin Firefighters Memorial Day proclamation is available here.
Executive Order #222 will be in effect from sunrise to sunset on Sat., Sept. 28, 2024, and Sat., Oct. 12, 2024, and is available here.
