The month of May marks two national memorials that recognize the sacrifices made by law enforcement and fire personnel. The National Fallen Firefighters Memorial weekend is observed in Emmitsburg, Maryland, on May 4-5, and the annual Candlelight Vigil for fallen peace officers will be held on May 13 at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Here in Bonners Ferry, the Boundary County Chaplain Corps will host our local memorial observance for Idaho peace officers and firefighters at 5:30 p.m. Friday, May 10, to reflect and read the list of those that lost their lives in the line of duty throughout our state’s history and so encourage the living.
The venue is the lawn in front of the Sheriff’s Office in downtown Bonners Ferry. Everyone is invited to attend.
The ceremony will feature our local honor guard, a memorial wreath presentation, ceremonial traditions of both police and fire services, and, especially, the reading of the line of duty death lists. This year we will be joined by personnel from Bonner County as well.
We wish to make it known that we, as a community, are among those that feel the hurt of the families and agencies who have lost loved ones and colleagues, and that we stand behind the thin blue and thin red lines with gratitude.
In the event of significant rainfall, the event will move across the street to the apparatus floor in the City of Bonners Ferry Fire Station 1. For more information about our local remembrance, or to volunteer to assist with the event, please contact Sheriff’s Office Chaplain Len Pine at (208) 267-3327.