International Firefighters' Day 2027 is on Tuesday

About International Firefighters' Day

The day recognizes the risks firefighters take to protect lives, homes and land, from structure fires and road crashes to wildfires and rescues. It is both a thank-you to serving crews and a day of remembrance for firefighters who lost their lives on duty, and fire services often use it to promote fire safety and training.

The idea came out of a tragedy near Linton, about 150 kilometers west of Melbourne, Australia. On December 2, 1998, a volunteer crew from the Geelong West Fire Brigade was sent to help fight a large wildfire there. As the five crew members drove out to refill their tanker, a sudden wind change swept the fire over the truck and all five were killed: Garry Vredeveldt, Chris Evans, Stuart Davidson, Jason Thomas and Matthew Armstrong.

JJ Edmondson, a volunteer lieutenant with the Country Fire Authority in Victoria, made it her New Year's resolution for 1999 to create a worldwide day and symbol of respect for all firefighters. She emailed the original proposal on January 4, 1999, and invited firefighters around the world to help choose the date and emblem. They settled on May 4, the feast day of Saint Florian, a Roman army officer martyred in the early fourth century in what is now Austria, who is regarded as the patron saint of firefighters. Many European fire services already marked St. Florian's Day on that date.

The day's symbol is a red and blue ribbon, red for fire and blue for water. Since 2002, firefighters have also held a Sound Off, on the first Sunday of May: at noon local time, brigades sound their sirens for 30 seconds and then keep a minute's silence. The day has no official government status and is not a public holiday; it spreads through fire brigades, unions and community events.

Sources: International Firefighters' Day: About IFFD, International Firefighters' Day: Sound Off. How we check dates.

How to mark International Firefighters' Day

• Test your smoke alarms and replace any that are past their expiry date.
• Draw up a home fire escape plan with two ways out of every room, and practice it with your household.
• Wear a red and blue ribbon, the day's symbol, or share it online in memory of firefighters who died on duty.
• Drop off a thank-you card at your local fire station, or ask whether it holds an open day you can visit.
• Find out whether your local brigade needs volunteers, including support roles that don't involve fighting fires.
• If you live in a wildfire area, check your local fire agency's advice on preparing your property and leaving early.

International Firefighters' Day dates