Mobile Fire-Rescue Department to Honor Fallen Firefighters Ahead of National Memorial Weekend

The Mobile Fire-Rescue Department will honor fallen firefighters, May 2-May 3, and encourages Mobile to light the night as part of a national tribute to firefighters who have died in the line of duty. 

The annual Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters campaign, led by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), invites communities in all 50 states to remember their bravest by glowing red lights on their landmarks, businesses, firehouses, and homes. 

Light the Night leads into the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend in Emmitsburg, Maryland, where the names of 204 firefighters who died in the line of duty will be formally added to the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial on May 3.

Mobile Fire-Rescue Department’s Deputy Chief Alexander G. Trenier will be among the fire heroes added to the National Memorial, giving this year’s observance special significance for the department and the Mobile community.

“Our family is filled with a deep sense of pride and gratitude,” said MFRD Captain John Trenier. “My father dedicated his life to serving others with courage, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to always doing what is right, no matter the cost.” Trenier continued, “To see his name etched among the nation’s heroes is a powerful reminder that his sacrifice, his service, and his legacy will never be forgotten.”

Approximately every three days, flags at the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation are lowered to half-staff to honor a firefighter who has died in the line of duty in the U.S. In accordance to Public Law 107-51, all Mobile Fire-Rescue Department stations will lower the American flag to half-staff on Sunday, May 3, 2026 from sunrise to sunset in observance of National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service.

“Light the Night gives communities a simple way to take part in remembrance,” said Victor Stagnaro, CEO of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. “For the families who have lost a firefighter, these lights mean more than you’d know.When a firehouse, landmark, or front porch turns red, it says their loved one is not forgotten. That their sacrifice still matters, and that we’re all standing with them.”

Paying Tribute Locally and Nationwide

Light the Night allows communities to participate in remembrance wherever they live and work. Individuals can install a red light bulb at home, while municipalities, businesses, and fire departments illuminate buildings or public spaces during the week leading up to Memorial Weekend.

Participation has grown steadily since the tribute launched in 2017, expanding from a small commemorative effort into a widely recognized public observance. Nearly 60 well-known landmarks are expected to participate in Light the Night this year.

Other Memorial Weekend Observances

Light the Night is one of several public ways to recognize fallen firefighters during Memorial Weekend. Additional observances include:

· Bells Across America for Fallen Firefighters, when firehouses, churches and other institutions ring bells in remembrance on Saturday, May 2, and Sunday, May 3. 

· Sound the Sirens, inviting fire departments nationwide to sound their sirens simultaneously at noon on Sunday, May 3.

· Joining all federal buildings, including the White House and the U.S. Capitol, in lowering the American flag to half-staff on Sunday, May 3.

###

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) was established by the United States Congress in 1992 to lead a national effort in honoring America’s fallen firefighters. Since then, the Foundation has created powerful programs that pay lasting tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice while providing meaningful support to their families and colleagues. Through its close partnership with the fire service and its affiliate, the First Responder Center for Excellence (FRCE), the NFFF is also deeply committed to reducing firefighter line-of-duty deaths and injuries. To learn how you can support this important mission, visit www.firehero.org.