On behalf of the nearly 350,000 members of the International Association of Fire Fighters, I want to thank the Colorado Springs community for everything they did this year — and every year — to assist the family and friends of our fallen fire fighters.

This year’s IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial was our largest. The friends and family of the 572 members honored felt the warm embrace of the Colorado Springs community from the moment they arrived.

Our brothers and sisters in IAFF Local 5, who are your friends and neighbors, rose to the occasion, as they always do. They lovingly coordinated logistics with the help of hundreds of volunteers. Since our sacred Memorial grounds are more than 1,500 miles from IAFF Headquarters, we depend on Local 5 to stand watch over and care for the IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial. The selfless acts of Local 5 members keep our memorial protected and well-maintained. We could not do it without them, and we are grateful for their dedication.

I know the city of Colorado Springs shares in that mission of honoring our fallen and caring for their friends and family as their own. We felt the genuine hospitality extended by area businesses and their staff.

Coming together is part of how we heal, and I am grateful we can do that every year in Colorado Springs.

Thank you for everything you do to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Edward A. Kelly Washington, D.C.