Honoring the Fallen Heroes of Dallas Fire-Rescue
Families dressed in memorial t-shirts and special occasion fire uniforms walked hand-in-hand Saturday morning through rows of signs, each one commemorating a fallen firefighter.
Kristi Walters, widow to firefighter David Walters, stopped to stand in a crowd of over 200 people while bagpipe melodies drifted through the air and a wreath was placed at the foot of a memorial statue.
The wreath, covered in red, white and blue flowers, was part of a ceremony honoring the Walters family’s loss and 81 other Dallas Fire-Rescue line-of-duty deaths since 1901.
Among those honored were Adrian Cal, Wayne Clark, Jerald Dibbles, Guy Hall and John Hendrix, all of whom died while on duty.
The Memorial Ceremony
The memorial ceremony pays tribute to the sacrifices first responders made to protect Dallas citizens, Dallas Fire-Rescue Chief Justin Ball said.
Dallas Fire-Rescue Chief Justin Ball prepares to lay the wreath in front of the Dallas Firefighters Monument as the Dallas Fire-Rescue honors 82 firefighters who died on the job between 1901 and 2021 during a ceremony at the Dallas Fire-Rescue Training Academy in Dallas on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025.
“The job of a firefighter is inherently unpredictable and dangerous, not knowing what will come or how it will end, but one thing that remains consistent for all those in the fire service is their commitment to serve,” Ball said.
“Heroics happen every day in the city,” Ball said. “Some of these actions we are privileged to see; others will only be known by the firefighters and those who benefited from their actions.”
Ceremony Details
The ceremony is held once every five years and takes place at the Dallas Fire-Rescue Training Academy at 5000 Dolphin Rd.
This year’s memorial included speeches from Dallas Fire-Rescue officials, bagpipes, a performance by the Dallas Police Choir, wreath-laying and a bell ceremony.
The Dallas Firefighters Pipes and Drums lead a procession of family members as the Dallas Fire-Rescue honors 82 firefighters who died on the job between 1901 and 2021 during a ceremony at the Dallas Fire-Rescue Training Academy in Dallas on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025.
Honoring the Fallen
Officials read a statement from Gov. Greg Abbott, and unveiled three street markers honoring line-of-duty deaths.
