Please help - your advice needed!

[FireBabe]

Six months after the tragedy of the terrorist attack on September 11 there have been numerous calls to consider moving International Firefighters' Day (IFFD) to the second Sunday in September.

To express your view on the matter and to assist us in deciding whether there is international support to move IFFD to September or retain it in May please visit the International Firefighters' Day (http://www.futureweb.com.au/edmondson) official website at http://www.futureweb.com.au/edmondson and cast your vote on the poll.

We need feedback from all over the world and all walks of life to properly guage whether we should now campaign for a change of date for IFFD or to support the inception of a National Firefighters' Day to be created in September instead.

PLEASE come and vote and ask friends, family and neighbours to also express their opinion.

Thankyou. TC&SS

JJ

[EXJAKE]

Firefighters come from ALL faiths, ALL countries, All different ethnic backgrounds, every concievable type of human beings through out the world are firefighters.

Some firefighters don't have or believe in Saints, some firefighters may not be allowed by their faiths to participate in the celebration of another faith's special days of observation, some firefighters are Agnostics.

The one thing we ALL have in common is that fighting fires can kill any one of us at any time, no matter who or where we are.

To be ALL inclusive, to include all firefighters everywhere, especially in view of 9/11/2001, I believe people would feel freer and there would be more OPEN support if it were held on a religiously neutral day that has a significant firefighting historical context.

9/11/2001 is the largest loss of live to firefighters on duty, in one place, at one time, killed by criminals who meant to murder as many people as possible,in the history of the world.

So, I think it certainly qualifies for special consideration as an international, interfaith, interethnic celebration and recognition of firefighters.

[captstanm1]

I am with you jake

[FireBabe]

Hi ExJake

Thankyou for your well reasoned reply.My only concern with changing IFFD to Sept 11th is that it was a date in which not only hundreds of our brethren died but also thousands of other innocents. They all need to be remembered and grieved for equally without singling out one group over the others.

I know that emotively to firefighters all over the world Sept 11th will always remain in our hearts as a tragic date but to millions of people worldwide in the greater community that date will be linked with the terrorist attack on the free world.

I feel that in order for the world's community to recognise and respect the committments of firefighters we need to look (as hard as it may be) away from September and to a more neutral date which may not get lost under the rememberance of a wider tragedy.

In order for us to gain a true understanding of the community's feeling on the appropriate date, not only do firefighters from all backgrounds need to vote but also ordinary members of the community from across the world. If we wish to be truely democratic in choice of a date we need to ask as many people as possible to express their opinions on the matter. Please let everyone know that they can vote at the website http://www.futureweb.com.au/edmondson

[Speedi120]

It has been a very long time since I have posted any thing on firehouse. However, I couldn't pass up your post Firebabe without responding. I think that everyone should remember that more than just firemen lost their lives on that day. 4 planes, and two buildings fell not to mention the attack on the Pentagon. Police officers, mothers, fathers, air plane pilots and stewardess, executives, retiress, grandmothers, grandfathers, children, wives, husbands, sons, daughters and military personnel. To take that day and only recognize one set of people would be heartbreaking to the families that lost loved ones that day. September 11th needs to be a day when we take the time to remember what happened, to remember those that was lost and to reflect on how far we have come in our bid for a peaceful nation.

I was not even aware that there was a national firefighters day, perhaps time would be better spent making the public aware that there is a day when we can pay tribute to our heroes. I commend the efforts of those that have worked hard to get firefighters the acknowledgement that they deserve. More funding, better equipment and more respect is something that I feel strongly all fire departments need. But I don't think that Sept 11th needs to be made into a day that takes one group of people and recognizes them while leaving out the rest of those that lost their lives.

[enginecappy]

9/11 was the single greatest day of loss in the hisory of the Fire Service. A day that none of us will ever forget. 343 Brothers were murdered that day. 343 Brothers, along with thousands of others that didn't make it out. Perhaps 9/11 should be set aside as a Day of Rememberance for everyone who perished that day, Firefighters, Police Officers, EMT's, Office Workers...the list goes on. I feel that if a day is to be set aside to recognize the sacrfices made by our fallen brethren, it needs to be a day seperate of 9/11. A Day that has no bearing on one's faith. A Day we can all call OUR DAY to recognize the supreme sacrifice that too many brothers & sisters have made.

Be Safe...Keep the Faith.


Speedi...missed you...we want you back for good this time.

[EXJAKE]

The question is not when to honor victims of 9-11.

The question is when to propose to hold an INTERNATIONAL Firefighters Day to honor Firefighters INTERNATIONALY

The only dates mentioned are St. Florian's day which is a CHRISTIAN day of observance.

There are 11 other major religions throughout the World all of which have Firefighters among them and they may not be able to join in celebrating a Christian Day, for a variety of reasons.

Or 9-11 a day of an INTERNATIONALY recognized day of great loss to an INTERNATIONAL community of many different religions.


No one mentioned excluding any victims of the Terrorist attack on the World Trade Center Towers. 9-11 is already a recognized day of great loss to the INTERNATIONAL community especially Firefighters who lost more souls than any one single group.


The question is which DATE do we think would best serve the purpose of INTERNATIONAL honoring of Firefighters Line of Duty Deaths.

This is proposed to be a day when the Whole World would pause to honor Line of Duty Deaths of Firefighters in all countries, all faiths, all ethnicities, and is ment to be INCLUSIVE not exclusive.



How about 9-10 or 9-12 or some other neutral date.


Make a suggestion!

[CFD14EMT]

Have it on Sept. 21st, ten days after Sept. 11th, neutral day, my birthday, etc. All good and valid reasons to chose this date.

[StayBack500FT]

It is my thought that 9/11 will not need any formal declaration to make it special as history has already taken care of that. I feel any FF day should occur on its own date.