IAFC recommendation for 9-11 observance

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IAFC Issues Recommendation for Fire Department Observances of September 11
Posted Wednesday, August 14

Washington, D.C., Tuesday, July 16, 2002......The International Association of Fire Chiefs has issued a nationwide call for all fire departments in America to simultaneously commemorate the first anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and the subsequent losses suffered at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania.

The intent in issuing the call is to encourage all departments, on a station-by-station basis, to conduct a single nationwide salute to fallen firefighters, law enforcement and civilians alike—and to the extraordinary response of the entire American fire service to tragic events that have changed all of our lives.

The event has been suggested to coordinate at the exact moment the World Trade Center events occurred and to be marked by two series of bell chimes, one for each of the towers whose collapse took so many lives at 10:05 EDT and 10:28 EDT respectively. While the precise time of the South Tower collapse has been stated as both 10:04am EDT and 10:05am EDT, for the sake of consistency, the IAFC has opted to use the CNN official time transcript for this purpose.

“The IAFC is calling all fire departments and the communities they serve to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice on that terrible day one year ago ,” said Chief John Buckman, president of the IAFC. “Those fire fighters who lost their lives were our fire fighters, too. Their sacrifice was as heroic as anything we have ever seen, and we owe them all a debt of gratitude.”

Further, the IAFC has stressed that the loss of so many innocent civilians in the attacks must also be acknowledged and honored for their sacrifice. The commemoration of the 1 year anniversary of the tragedies should serve as a special way for communities to do so.

The following are guidelines issued by the IAFC as a suggestion format. Fire Departments all across the country have been encouraged to tailor the ceremony to fit their needs. The recommendations include:

• Lowering the station flag to half mast for the duration of the ceremony
• Tolling of the Bell ceremony*—timed to coincide with the precise times each of the twin towers collapsed (stations may ring bells, sirens, church chimes or observe a moment of silence)
• Reading the names of each of the 343 fire fighters from FDNY who died September 11
• Speech by the chief fire officer, city or county officials, local minister or other designated person, including local community leaders
• Local minister or FD Chaplain recites Invocation or Firefighters Prayer
• Recognizing any line of duty deaths the department itself has suffered in the past year
• Performing any specific regional/department/station traditions for services
• Fire departments are encouraged to invite local leaders and include members of the local community to participate in their remembrance plans as a way of providing them the opportunity to remember the lives lost on September 11.

*Tolling of the Bell History

Long before the Internet was invented, or telephones and radios were used across our great nation, fire departments used the telegraph to communicate - using special codes to receive fire alarms from those once-familiar red fire alarm boxes which stood on practically every street corner of America.

When a firefighter was killed - or in the language of the military and public safety - fell - in the line of duty, the fire alarm office would tap out a special signal. This would be tapped out as five measured dashes - then a pause - then five measured dashes - then a pause - then five more measured dashes.

This came to be called the Tolling of the Bell and was broadcast over the telegraph fire alarm circuits to all station houses in the vicinity. Heard outside on the streets - with the fire department’s windows open, the resonating echo was similar to that of fire stations of old where fire alarm gongs sounded the locations of thousands of emergencies throughout the history of our growing country.

This was done for the purpose of notification, and as a sign of honor and respect for all firefighters who had made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their communities. Such symbolism has been a time-honored fire service tradition and is repeated at each service of a fallen firefighter.

Tolling of the Bell Instructions

Tolling instructions - to be toned on bell - NOT TO BE READ:

tone pause (wait - one thousand one, one thousand two)

tone pause (wait - one thousand one, one thousand two)

tone pause (wait - one thousand one, one thousand two)

tone pause (wait - one thousand one, one thousand two)

tone

-longer pause (wait - one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three)

tone pause (wait - one thousand one, one thousand two)

tone pause (wait - one thousand one, one thousand two)

tone pause (wait - one thousand one, one thousand two)

tone pause (wait - one thousand one, one thousand two)

tone

- longer pause (wait - one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three)

tone pause (wait - one thousand one, one thousand two)

tone pause (wait - one thousand one, one thousand two)

tone pause (wait - one thousand one, one thousand two)

tone pause (wait - one thousand one, one thousand two)

tone

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To place the flag at half staff, hoist it to the peak for an instant and lower it to a position half way between the top and bottom of the staff. The flag is to be raised again to the peak for a moment before it is lowered.

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BTT

[lil'misscapt]

My dept will be attending a church service as a group, and a question was raised about uniform. This may sound dumb, but I don't know the correct answer, and figured someone in here would. Is it appropriate to wear black over badges for the service, or has the time expired for that? Just wondering, our dept has never had to deal with a LODD in the past, or anything such as this. Thanks!!