COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho — Pipe and drum players from the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department are planning to honor fallen firefighters at national and international firefighter memorials this year.
But they still need to raise money to go to the memorials, so the family of a fallen firefighter is stepping up to help.
Fallen firefighter memorials are often accompanied by pipe and drum bands, who perform around the world honoring firefighters who died in the line of duty.
That was the case over the summer for the memorials of Battalion Chiefs Frank Harwood and John Morrison, who were killed in the Canfield Mountain ambush.
But a few years before that, pipe and drum players from the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department performed at the memorial for Division Chief Bill Wright from the Timberlake Fire Protection District.
Wright’s daughter Stacie Ramsay said, “it was just amazing, and then to have so many local firefighters and outlying departments come, it was a great honor and he deserved it.”
So, when Wright’s family found out the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department’s band was raising money to perform at memorials around the country, they donated $5,000 to make those trips possible.
The pipe and drum band said this donation will give them enough money to go to Maryland for the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial.
But they still need donations to attend the International Association of Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Colorado Springs in September.
Pipe Sergeant Chris Kieres said, “not going to these memorials is simply not an option. So, we’re relying on fundraising to help send our community members who participate and volunteer their time.”
Members of the band said they will have fundraising events coming up in the spring and they also have a donation link on their website.
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