Since 1992
Print and digital marketing
Senator Collins delivered remarks at the annual Firefighter Memorial Service at the Maine Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Augusta. During the service, a roll call of Maine firefighters who passed away over the previous year was read, with a bell rung once in honor of each fallen firefighter.
Two Maine firefighters died in the line of duty this past year and were given special recognition during the ceremony: Morrill Volunteer Firefighter Andrew Cross and Searsmont Assistant Fire Chief Wayne Woodbury, who both lost their lives due to injuries sustained responding to the tragic explosion and fire at Robbins Lumber in Searsmont this May.
“Whether they were on duty or retired, every name read today belongs to a hero. Every ring of the bell is an echo, not just of who they were, but also of the dedication that all firefighters share and of the gratitude that we feel. Those qualities of character and commitment are found throughout Maine. Whether you are a full-time firefighter or an on-call volunteer, you are a critical first line of defense. Whether you serve in a large city or a small town, whether you are called to a major catastrophe or a local emergency, you respond when the alarm sounds, whenever that may be.”
As a co-chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, Senator Collins has long worked to strengthen support for Maine’s firefighters. Through her role on the Senate Appropriations Committee, she has secured nearly $87 million over the past five years to rehabilitate, expand, or replace 45 fire stations across Maine. Her bipartisan Fire Grants and Safety Act, signed into law in 2024, reauthorized key federal programs that help fire departments with staffing, equipment, training, and emergency services. She also championed the Firefighter Cancer Registry Act, enacted in 2018, which established the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer.
