October 12, 2002
An estimated 75,000 professional fire fighters gather in New York City to honor the 356 FDNY fire fighters who died in the line of duty in the last two years. The historic event, held in Madison Square Garden, begins with a stirring procession of 50,000 professional fire fighters from across the United States, Canada and elsewhere. Speakers included General President Harold Schaitberger, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scopetta. U.S. Senators Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer attended the event. The IAFF provided the bulk of financial resources for the memorial weekend and spent several months organizing the ceremony. The gathering was by far the largest in the IAFF’s 84-year history.
