Firefighters from across the state will come to the Wisconsin State Firefighters and EMS Memorial Saturday to pay tribute to five firefighters who died in the line of duty last year.
The 19th annual Final Alarm and Roll Call Ceremony will take place at 3:33 p.m. Saturday at the memorial in Ben Hansen Park, 2031 Second Ave. S. in Wisconsin Rapids. After the ceremony, at 7 p.m., firefighters will participate in the Final Alarm Procession. They will drive emergency equipment with lights on and sirens off through Wisconsin Rapids streets.
The starting time of 3:33 p.m. is a recognition of a Wisconsin firefighter tradition of ringing a bell in three sets of three, pausing between each set, to announce the end of a shift, Pittsville Fire Chief Jerry Minor said. The 3:33 start time symbolizes the end of a shift and the firefighter going home, Minor said.