On October 28, our nation pauses to recognize National First Responders Day. The observance was formally established in 2017, when Congress passed a resolution designating the date to honor the firefighters, police officers, paramedics, and emergency personnel who protect our communities. The movement did not begin in Washington, but in the voices of families who knew firsthand the cost of service. Among them was the family of MIT Police Officer Sean Collier, who was ambushed and killed in 2013 during the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing. His family pushed for national recognition of the men and women who answer the call. Their advocacy ensured that October 28 would become a day set aside for remembrance and gratitude.
For law enforcement officers, the meaning of First Responders Day is deeply personal. Each shift carries the weight of uncertainty. A routine call can change in seconds. When danger rises, it is officers who step forward. They are the ones who enter darkened homes after reports of violence, who respond to scenes of chaos, who put themselves between danger and the people they serve. Bravery is not the absence of fear, but the decision to move toward it, and law enforcement officers make that decision every day.
We must never forget the men and women who did not return from those calls. In South Carolina, the Law Enforcement Memorial began with 308 names inscribed in stone. Today, it bears more than 500, including seven officers added in 2025. Each addition is a reminder that service is not abstract. It is carried on the shoulders of real people who made the choice to protect, knowing the risks that came with the badge.
First Responders Day is about remembrance, but it is also about recognition. Bravery is not found only in the dramatic moments that make headlines. It is in the long nights of patrol, the missed family dinners, the unheralded work of showing up for neighbors in need. Officers do not choose this profession for comfort. They choose it because service is written into who they are.
Communities benefit most when this bravery is seen, understood, and supported. Respect cannot end with applause or words of thanks. It must also include ensuring that officers have the training, resources, and staffing needed to do their jobs safely and effectively. Recognition is not just about honoring what has been given. It is about committing ourselves to stand behind those who continue to give.
National First Responders Day is a moment to reflect on all who serve, but it is also an invitation to remember that their courage has a cost. In South Carolina, we carry that truth every time we gather at the memorial, where names stretch across the stone as permanent reminders of sacrifice. Each name belongs to a story, a family, and a community forever changed.
On October 28, let us remember the bravery of first responders, and especially our law enforcement officers, who run toward danger when others seek safety. Let us honor those whose names are etched in stone, and those still walking the line today. Our safety rests on their courage. Our gratitude must rest on our willingness to never forget, and to always support them in return.
