Thank a Hero on October 28 for National First Responders Day: First Responders Children's Foundation, SERVPRO to host "Roll Call of Heroes" event in New York City's Times Square October 24

First Responder Children's Foundation (FRCF), along with their partner SERVPRO, is urging citizens and organizations everywhere to help honor first responders across the country for their bravery and sacrifice on October 28 for National First Responders Day.

First enacted by the U.S. Congress in 2019, National First Responders Day is an opportunity to thank local public safety officers, firefighters, nurses, EMTs and other first responder professionals across America who answer the call of service in their communities.

"Working to clean up disasters and damage to homes and businesses everywhere, we often get to see firsthand the bravery and commitment our first responders give every day," said Ryan Wolfe of SERVPRO of Lawrence, Owen, Greene & Martin Cos.. "They often risk their lives to save others, limit damage and mitigate threats. National First Responders Day is a great opportunity to thank them for their service and sacrifice.

"I challenge my fellow community members, organizations and local businesses to show their support by reaching out to these brave men and women to let them know how much we care and appreciate them," Wolfe added. "You can say thank you to a police officer, buy them a cup of coffee or a meal. Send them a note of thanks; do something to let them know that we are there for them, just as they are there for us."

On October 24, 2023, FRCF and SERVPRO are once again partnering to present the National First Responders Day celebration in New York City's Times Square. The "Roll Call of Heroes" ceremony will honor first responders from across the country in each emergency category for their outstanding heroism and bravery.

SERVPRO's commitment to first responders is well-established. In recent years, SERVPRO expanded its commitment to essential personnel by forming a partnership with the First Responders Children's Foundation, an organization founded to provide ongoing support, both financial and emotional, to the families of first responders injured or killed in the line of duty. Since 2018, SERVPRO has hosted the inaugural First Responder Bowl annual football game to celebrate first responders' service to their communities.

"Because of SERVPRO's involvement in cleanup and restoration and often after disasters, we've been able to offer support to the First Responders Children's Foundation that is both real and timely," said SERVPRO President and COO John Sooker. "Working together, we have been able to provide disaster relief grants and property restoration services free of charge to more than 90 hurricane-affected first responder families in Florida last year. And most recently, we worked together to send several commercial air scrubbers to the Maui Police Department to help clean the air within their facility, along with other emergency supplies following the devastating wildfires in Hawaii."