Sept. 16, 2023 • Colorado Springs, Colorado
Located in the shadow of Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs, the Memorial honors the sacrifice made by IAFF members who have given their lives in the line of duty.
The 2023 Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial ceremony will honor those members who died or whose name were submitted between Jan. 1, 2021, and Dec. 31, 2022.
All IAFF members are encouraged to wear Class A dress uniforms and to register online. Registration for family and Honor Guard is open until Aug. 1. Make sure to book your hotel and travel before registering.
Family Greeting and Hotel Transportation
Beginning Thursday, Sept. 14, the IAFF and members of Colorado Springs, CO Local 5 will staff a Family Greeting and Hotel Transportation Center at the Colorado Springs Airport to direct you to your hotel shuttle and provide any needed assistance. The Family Greeting and Transportation Center will be located outside the secure area on the baggage claim level.
Information and Transportation Center
The Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Information and Transportation Center will be located in the main lobby at The Antlers Hotel. The IAFF and members from Colorado Springs Local 5 will assist with any of your transportation needs, including shuttles to the Memorial site, restaurant transportation and return to Colorado Springs airport shuttles, as well as any needed assistance and information. The Information and Transportation Center will be open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. from Thursday-Friday and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. On Saturday, shuttles to the Memorial site will begin at 8:30 a.m. at 20-minute intervals; shuttles back to the hotel will begin at the conclusion of the Memorial service. The last shuttle to the Memorial will be at 10:30 a.m. to ensure that everyone is at the park for the start of the service. On Sunday, there will be shuttles to the Colorado Springs Airport beginning at 4 a.m. and every 30 minutes until 6 p.m.
Due to higher demand, please allow additional time for shuttle service.
IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Office
The IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Office is located in Summit Ballroom I and II, just off the lobby area of The Antlers Hotel. IAFF staff will assist you and answer questions regarding Memorial activities.
IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Registration
Registration for all family members and Honor Guard will begin on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Heritage Ballroom of The Antlers Hotel. At registration, each family member will be provided with credentials and an information packet. Family members are asked to provide proper pronunciation of their loved one’s name for the readers.
IAFF Honor Guard and Pipes and Drums
The Honor Guard and Pipes and Drums will meet on Thursday at 4 p.m. at a location to be determined. The meeting will provide details regarding the events leading to the Memorial service and address Honor Guard and Pipes and Drums participation at the service, including the presentation of the IAFF flag. On both Friday and Saturday, Honor Guard and Pipes and Drums practices will begin at 8 a.m. at the Memorial site, with Honor Guard-only shuttles departing for the site at 7 a.m. All meetings and practice sessions require mandatory attendance by ALL members of the Honor Guard and Pipes and Drums.
Family Informational Video
Memorial Site Information
The IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial, located in the shadow of Pikes Peak, honors the sacrifice made by IAFF members who serve as professional fire fighters and emergency medical personnel and have given their lives in the line of duty. The Memorial is lit at night. Colorado Springs Fire Explorers will provide tracing paper and pencils to trace names from the Wall of Honor. Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Wall Diagram
Directions to the IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial
From Southbound I-25: Take the Bijou Street exit East to Cascade Avenue. Turn right on Cascade (South) to Pikes Peak Avenue. Turn left on Pikes Peak (East) and continue to Hancock Avenue.
From Northbound I-25: Take Cimarron Street exit (Highway 24) East to Wahsatch Street. Turn left (North) on Wahsatch to Colorado Avenue. Turn right on Colorado Avenue (East) and continue to Hancock Avenue.
The IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial is located on the corner of Pikes Peak Avenue and Hancock Avenue. Turn right (South) on Hancock and then left into the first park entrance.
Helpful Colorado Springs Websites
Wednesday, Sept. 13
12 – 11 p.m. | Family Greeting/Hotel Transportation | Colorado Springs Airport |
Thursday, Sept. 14
8 a.m. – 11 p.m. | IAFF Transportation Services | IAFF Authorized Hotels |
8 a.m. – 11 p.m. | Family Greeting/Hotel Transportation | Colorado Springs Airport |
8 a.m. – 11 p.m. | Family Information Desk | Main Lobby, The Antlers |
9 a.m. – 9 p.m. | Honor Guard Registration | Heritage Ballroom, The Antlers |
9 a.m. – 9 p.m. | Family Registration | Heritage Ballroom, The Antlers |
9 a.m. – 10 p.m. | Shuttles to Memorial Site | Main Lobby, The Antlers |
4 – 6 p.m. | Mandatory Honor Guard Meeting | TBD |
Friday, Sept. 15
7 a.m. | Honor Guard Shuttle to/from Memorial Site | Main Lobby, The Antlers |
8 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Honor Guard Registration | Heritage Ballroom, The Antlers |
8 a.m. – 11 p.m. | IAFF Transportation Services | IAFF Authorized Hotels |
8 a.m. – 11 p.m. | Family Greeting/Hotel Transportation | Colorado Springs Airport |
8 a.m. – 11 p.m. | Family Information Desk | Main Lobby, The Antlers |
9 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Mandatory Honor Guard Practice | FFFM Site |
9 a.m. – 9 p.m. | Family Registration | Heritage Ballroom, The Antlers |
9 a.m. – 10 p.m. | Shuttles to Memorial Site | Main Lobby, The Antlers |
4 – 6:30 p.m. | Family & Friends Gathering | Weidner Field |
8 p.m. | Massed Pipes & Drums Band Parade | 514 S. Tejon Street |
Saturday, Sept. 16
7 – 9:30 a.m. | Family Breakfast Buffet | Heritage Ballroom, The Antlers |
7 a.m. | Honor Guard Shuttle to Memorial Site | IAFF Authorized Hotels |
8 a.m. | Mandatory Honor Guard Practice | FFFM Site |
8 a.m. – 12 p.m. | IAFF Transportation Services | IAFF Authorized Hotels |
10 a.m. | Ride of Honor Arrival | FFFM Site |
8:30 – 10:30 a.m. | Family Shuttle to Memorial Service (20-minute intervals) | IAFF Authorized Hotels |
9 – 11 a.m. | Family Information Desk | Main Lobby, The Antlers |
11 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Memorial Service | FFFM Site |
Following Ceremony until 4 p.m. | Flag Drop-off for Shipping | Flag Tent, FFFM Site |
Following Ceremony | Shuttle to Hotels | FFFM Site |
8 p.m. | Massed Pipes & Drums Band Parade | 21 S. Tejon Street |
Sunday, Sept. 17
4 a.m. – 6 p.m. (every half hour) | Gray Line Shuttle to Airport | IAFF Authorized Hotels |
Directions to the Memorial
The IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial is located at 1315 E Pikes Peak Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80909 – on the corner of Pikes Peak Avenue and Hancock Avenue.
See it on Google maps.
From Southbound I-25: Take the Bijou Street exit East to Cascade Avenue. Turn right on Cascade (South) to Pikes Peak Avenue. Turn left on Pikes Peak (East) and continue to Hancock Avenue. Turn right (South) on Hancock and then left into the first park entrance. The IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial is located on the corner of Pikes Peak Avenue and Hancock Avenue.
From Northbound I-25: Take Cimarron Street exit (Highway 24) East to Wahsatch Street. Turn left (North) on Wahsatch to Colorado Avenue. Turn right on Colorado Avenue (East) and continue to Hancock Avenue. Turn right (South) on Hancock and then left into the first park entrance. The IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial is located on the corner of Pikes Peak Avenue and Hancock Avenue.
Flights
IAFF members attending the 37th IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Observance on Sept. 16, 2023, should fly into the Colorado Springs Airport (www.flycos.com). An IAFF transportation system will be operating from the Colorado Springs Airport with shuttle service to select hotels.
- The IAFF does not provide transportation to the Denver Airport.
- The IAFF does not provide transportation to hotels other than those listed below.
- The IAFF does not provide transportation to AirBnB or VRBO rentals, private homes, campgrounds, RV parks, or dispensaries.
The alternative airport is Denver International Airport, which is approximately 75 miles from Colorado Springs. Car rentals and taxis are available, as well as the Groome Transportation shuttle, which operates from the Denver Airport to Colorado Springs Airport.
Visit www.groometransportation.com for schedules and pricing.
The IAFF has contracted with the following major airlines to provide airfare discounts:
Air Canada – MMZFNMN1
This a promotion code for the convention product. To book a flight with your promotion code, go to aircanada.com and enter your promotion code in the search panel.
Delta – NY257
Delta Air Lines is pleased to offer special discounts for IAFF events. Please click here to book your flights. You may also call Delta Meeting Network® at 1.800.328.1111* Monday–Friday, 7 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. (CT) and refer to meeting event code NY257. *Please note, there is no service fee for reservations booked and ticketed via our reservation 800 number.
United – ZMRK254340
We are pleased to partner with United Airlines for air travel to our upcoming event. To make flight reservations online, please click the discount code: ZMRK254340. Or you may call the United Reservations Meetings Desk (Monday-Friday) at 800.426.1122 for booking assistance.
Hotels
The following select area hotels are reserved for the families attending the Memorial Service Sept. 13-17, 2023. IAFF room blocks for Spring Hill Suites, the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown, The Antlers, Hyatt Place, Holiday Inn Express, and DoubleTree are available only to family members of the 2021 and 2022 honorees at this time. Please book your hotel by June 15, after which the hotel blocks will open to anyone attending the ceremony.
The IAFF will provide shuttles from the hotels listed below:
Spring Hill Suites
402 S Tejon Street
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Rate: $269/night plus taxes
To book, email [email protected]. Rooms available Sept. 14-17.
Hilton Garden Inn Colorado Springs Downtown
125 N. Cascade Avenue
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Rate: $274/night USD plus taxes
Rooms available Sept. 15-17.
To reserve a room, email [email protected]
1. First and last name
2. Hilton Honors number (if applicable)
3. Desired dates of stay
4. Room type (king or 2 queen beds)
5. Phone number
The Antlers
4 South Cascade Avenue
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
(719) 955-5600
Rate: $189/night USD plus taxes
Rooms available Sept. 14-17.
To book, contact Justine Wissinger at [email protected] or call (719) 955-5600.
Hyatt Place Colorado Springs/Downtown
201 E. Kiowa
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
(719) 635-9663
Rate: $319/night plus taxes
Rooms available Sept. 14-17.
To book, please email [email protected] with your name, desired dates of stay, room type, and phone number.
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Colorado Springs Central
105 N. Spruce Street
Colorado Springs, CO 80905
Rate: $249/night plus taxes
Rooms available Sept. 13-18
To book, email [email protected].
DoubleTree by Hilton Colorado Springs
1775 East Cheyenne Mountain Blvd
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
(719) 576-8900
Rate: $199/night plus taxes
Rooms available Sept. 14-17.
To book, email [email protected].
Staybridge Suites North
7130 Commerce Centre Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80919
Room rate: $114/night plus taxes
Hilton Garden Inn Briargate
1801 Briargate Parkway
Colorado Springs, CO 80920
Room rate: $184/night plus taxes
Additional Hotels
Best Western Executive Inn & Suites
1440 Harrison Road
Colorado Springs, CO 80905-4002
(719) 576-2371
Courtyard by Marriott
2570 Tenderfoot Hill Street
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
(719) 226-5006
Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott
2725 Geyser Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
(719) 576-1717
Hampton Inn & Suites I-25 South
2910 Geyser Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
(719) 884-0330
Home2 Suites by Hilton
1235 Tenderfoot Hill Road
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
(719) 226-3440
La Quinta Inn & Suites – South/Airport
2750 Geyser Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
(719) 527-4788
The Mining Exchange
8 S. Nevada Ave.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
(719) 323-2000
Quality Inn South
1410 Harrison Road
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
(719) 579-6900
Residence Inn by Marriott
2765 Geyser Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
(719) 576-0101
For additional hotels in Colorado Springs, visit www.visitcos.com/colorado-springs-lodging.
An alternative to a hotel is Airbnb: www.airbnb.com
Car Rentals
- Hertz (800) 654-2240
- Alamo (888) 826-6893
- National (888) 826-6890
- Avis (719) 586-2751
- Budget (719) 597-1271
- Enterprise (719) 591-6644. Enterprise AFL-CIO Discounted Rates
Who Can Participate
All IAFF affiliate Honor Guards and IAFF Pipes and Drums are again invited to participate in the IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Observance in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This is an IAFF Memorial; all members of the Honor Guard and Pipes and Drums must be active members, active retirees, or alumni in good standing. IAFF Honor Guard Commander Bruce Brown will serve as the U.S. West Coast Coordinator; IAFF Honor Guard Deputy Commander Brent Jones will serve as the U.S. East Coast Coordinator; and IAFF Honor Guard Deputy Commander John Sobey will serve as the Canadian Coordinator. Coordinating the Pipes and Drums will be IAFF Pipe Major Hunter Schappaugh.
What to Bring
Any Honor Guard units attending the observance are asked to bring any state/local union flags, department flags, and harnesses and ceremonial pike poles/axes for use during the ceremony. Please mark your equipment to ensure that it is returned to you in the event a member of another local borrows it. Please do not bring any National Colors.
Ground Rules
To maintain the solemnity of the ceremony and to ensure the quality of the band, the IAFF has established some ground rules.
- IAFF Membership: This is an IAFF Memorial; all members of the Honor Guard and Massed Band must be members in good standing. If you have a civilian or sworn public safety officer associated with your Honor Guard or band, they are welcome to play with the mass band on Tejon Street on Friday and Saturday night.
- Registration: All individuals participating in the Memorial on Saturday afternoon must be registered for the event and must go to the Honor Guard Registration located at The Antlers Hotel to receive credentials. These credentials must be on your person to participate at practice, walkthroughs and ceremony.
- Alcohol: At no time during the Memorial weekend will open containers of alcohol be tolerated at Memorial Park.
- Tent City: Tent City will remain on the athletic field within the assigned boundaries. For security purposes, nothing should be left overnight. Camping in city parks is against city ordinance. Trailers and vehicles will not be allowed to park directly next to the upper field, in the street or in the dirt lot below the Memorial. Due to the limited space in the parking lot, it may be necessary to limit the amount of space each unit may occupy.
- Buying and Selling: There will be no selling of anything during the ceremony, including the distribution of food. Please remember that we do not want anything to distract families or take away from the solemn tone of the Memorial.
Registration Procedures
All individuals participating in the Memorial on Saturday afternoon are required to register online prior to the event and must go to the Honor Guard Registration located at The Antlers Hotel to receive credentials. Please contact the respective IAFF Honor Guard or Pipe/Drum Coordinator below with any questions.
Scheduled Events
- Mandatory Honor Guard Registration – The Antlers Hotel (Heritage Ballroom), 4 South Cascade Ave, Colorado Springs
- Thursday, Sept. 14 / 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- Friday, Sept. 15 / 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- Mandatory meeting: Thursday evening, Sept. 14 at 4 p.m. (location TBD)
- Mandatory practice: Friday, Sept. 15 at 9 a.m. and Saturday, Sept. 16 at 8 a.m. (both days are mandatory).
Shuttles to the Memorial site begin at 7 a.m. both days from the lobby of The Antlers. Friday’s practice typically ends by 3 p.m.
Contacts
- IAFF Honor Guard Commanders West of the Mississippi River:
Bruce Brown
[email protected]
(714) 651-7004 - IAFF Honor Guard Commanders East of the Mississippi River:
Brent Jones
[email protected]
(414) 659-3363 - IAFF Honor Guard Commanders From Canada:
John Sobey
[email protected]
(613) 203-2220 - All Pipers and Drummers:
Hunter Schappaugh
[email protected]
(713) 417-8348
IAFF Pipes and Drums and Honor Guard Website
Information on IAFF member Pipes and Drums and Honor Guards is available here. This site includes every IAFF-affiliated Pipes and Drums, as well as IAFF-affiliated Honor Guards that serve state and provincial wide. Contact information is included as well as all music that is played during our Memorial service. If you need to update your band or Honor Guard information or if your band or Honor Guard is not included, please enter/update your information using the website.
The IAFF will personally contact the families of all fire fighters to be honored in the Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Observance. The IAFF will also send information about the Memorial ceremony and accommodations to the families and to the president of the local where the death occurred.
Each family member attending the Memorial must register online by Aug. 1 to ensure attendance. For more information or assistance, email [email protected].
Each pre-registered family member will receive information packets, credentials and reserved seating assignments at the registration offices in The Heritage Ballroom at The Antlers Hotel in Colorado Springs. Packets will be available beginning Thursday, Sept. 14 at 9 a.m.
Media Contact
Contact IAFF Press Secretary Tim Burn for all media inquiries at [email protected]. Media planning to attend the ceremony are encouraged to notify the IAFF at this number.
A pool feed of the ceremony will be available to all media. Multi-boxes will be set up, and other media needs can be accommodated.
Contact Us
IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial
1750 New York Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
[email protected]
High-Altitude Tips
- Reduce alcohol, caffeine, and salty foods.
- Drink 3 or 4 times more water than usual.
- Get plenty of rest before and during your stay.
- Take it easy! Your heart is working harder at this altitude, so quit while you’re ahead if you are tired.
- Wear sunscreen – you receive 30% more ultraviolet radiation up here than at sea level!
- Wear sunglasses with ultraviolet protection even on cloudy days.
- Eat high carbohydrate meals, limiting fat and protein, for the first few days at altitude.
High-Altitude Sickness Symptoms
- Headache
- Nausea
- Unusual tiredness
- Trouble sleeping
High-altitude sickness symptoms usually go away in a day or two, but if you develop a worsening cough or feel like you have fluid in your lungs – see a doctor immediately! When in doubt, seek medical help!
Tips, especially for Pikes Peak
- Drink large amounts of water before your trip.
- Continue to drink water during your trip.
- Take a jacket no matter what the weather is in Colorado Springs.
- The best time to go is in the morning as afternoon often has poor weather and visibility.
The Wall
They’ve come from every walk of life,
they’ve come from every region.
We honor their heroic deeds,
on this black wall their names emblazon.
Each one, a different story tells
of bitter tragedy,
of courage-etched upon this wall,
lives given for community.
The world won’t long remember them
without this monument-
Our globe, awash in suffering,
where countless other lives are spent.
But in this honored, reverent place,
their memories brightly shine
On this green field beneath the Rockies,
thankful hearts a tribute find.
When men and women ask the question,
“What do firefighters risk for me?”
These names in granite answer back,
“We’ve purchased your security
with precious offering of our lives,
with families torn by grief,
with fervent sacrificial duty-
firm was our belief
that someone must defend the lives
and property of all-
this pledge so fully did we live
that now, we line this wall.”
– Unknown –