The Magallanes, Zeni and Savas families pose for a photo with the Los Angeles County Pipes and Drums Band, Honor Guard and Local 1014 members. Photo courtesy Toni Arellano.
Firefighters across the nation honored 123 fallen members of the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) during its 30th annual IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Sept. 17, 2016.
The solemn ceremony memorialized firefighters—including James Horton, Joseph Savas, Hector Magallanes and Rick Zeni from the Los Angeles County Fire Department—who died in the line of duty or from work-related causes.
The Los Angeles County Fire Fighters Pipes and Drums and LACoFD Honor Guard and members of Local 1014 were part of a Department contingent that traveled to Colorado Springs to participate in the ceremony. Local 1014 President Dave Gillotte and members of the union’s Board of Directors also attended.
The 2016 memorial service began with the roar of hundreds of motorcycles and ended with the somber playing of “Taps” on bugle. During the ceremony, General President Harold Schaitberger—along with new IAFF Secretary-Treasurer Edward Kelly—laid the IAFF wreath in memory of the fallen. (Watch on YouTube.)
The Wall of Honor represents 7,300 fallen firefighters from 1918 to present who lost their lives either in the line of duty or from sickness caused by their work.
Savas, Magallanes and Zeni will also be honored during the California Firefighters Memorial Ceremony in Sacramento on Oct. 15. Their names are among the 29 that will be added to the memorial. (Horton’s name was added in 2015.)
The event will be streamed online. For more information, visit cafirefoundation.org.
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