Published on April 30, 2026
A national remembrance honoring firefighters who died in the line of duty will be observed in Sioux Falls on Saturday, May 2. Sioux Falls Fire Rescue (SFFR) will join departments across the country for the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend.
The annual observance serves as the official national tribute to firefighters who have made the ultimate sacrifice over the past year.
The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation is coordinating “Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters” on Saturday, encouraging departments nationwide to honor those who have lost their lives while serving their communities and to support the initiative. Now in its fourth year, SFFR will participate to remember its fallen members and to stand in solidarity with firefighters across South Dakota and the nation.
SFFR will show their support and participate at various stations across the city. Available fire trucks will be visible at stations with their lights activated briefly at 9 p.m. Saturday. Station lighting will also illuminate red where possible in support of this initiative.
“This coordinated display is a powerful, unified gesture to honor and remember the firefighters who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty,” said SFFR Chief Matt McAreavey. “This simple initiative reflects our department’s enduring commitment to those we have lost and to the families they leave behind. It also underscores our responsibility to stand with one another to continue serving our community with professionalism, compassion and respect for the risks this job carries every day.”
In recognition of the observance, the falls at Falls Park and the Arc of Dreams will also be illuminated in red.
For more information on SFFR, visit siouxfalls.gov/fire.