The Alaska Fallen Firefighter Memorial was originally envisioned in the late 1980’s by then State Fire Marshal Sam Neal. Over a number of years of fund raising, in 1995 the goal of a Memorial to Alaska’s Fallen Firefighters was realized; the Memorial was constructed and that year, with the ASFA/AFCA Fire Conference in Anchorage, the Memorial was dedicated.
The dedication included presentations by the following:
State Fire Marshal Sam Neal
Chaplin Bert McQueen
US Air Force Band of the Pacific
Ed McCormick, Alliance of Fire & Emergency Associations
Joe Albrecht, Anchorage Fire Department.
The original Memorial Committee was made up of:
Mona Biggs, Anchorage Fire Department
Tom Take, State of Alaska
Mark Barker, Fire Service Training
Jim Kenshalo, Anchorage Fire Department.
This original Memorial was located on Airport Heights Blvd., in Anchorage; near AFD Station 3 and the State of Alaska Fire Training Center. It was constructed under a partnership with the State of Alaska Fire Service Training Office, the Anchorage Fire Department Training Division, and the State of Alaska Job Corps Training Office. Kulis Air Guard also contributed to this original Memorial in the original location.
