Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Governor Hochul Delivers Remarks at the New York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial

Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul honored 53 fallen firefighters at the 29th Annual New York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial Ceremony held at the Empire State Convention Center in Albany. The Memorial honors New York's 2,871 firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty, paying tribute to them as well as thousands of firefighters across the state who continue to serve and protect their communities. Governor Hochul also issued two proclamations to honor New York State's career and volunteer firefighters - one proclamation declares October 6, 2026 asFirefighter Appreciation Day and the other declares the week of October 4-10, 2026 asFire Prevention Week in New York State.

VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

AUDIO: The Governor's remarks are available in audio form here.

PHOTOS of the event will be available on the Governor's Flickr page.

A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:

Thank you, Commissioner O'Leary, for the beautiful words and a reminder of what today is all about. And also James Cable, our fire administrator who works so hard for us every single day. Also, I want to acknowledge the presence of our Attorney General, Letitia James, has joined us, as well as elected officials representing the Senate and the Assembly.

Representing the Senate is Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, the senator, and also representing the Assembly is Stacey Pheffer Amato, an assemblymember - who've given their time here today. I also want to recognize members of my administration are here, but also Jackie Bray, who's the head of State Operations, and Jeanette Moy, who oversees this memorial and the others who showed up just to pay their respects today.

But today is not about all of us, it's about all of you. Those who are here with a uniform on, holding the hand, comforting someone who lost a loved one, someone who's going through a great deal of pain right now, someone who needs that extra shoulder to lean on today. Those who are parents who lost a child. I talked to a mom who's still in disbelief that her son is gone, a son who's in disbelief that his father is gone and many wives who had what they thought would be a lifelong romance that would go well into their elder years cut short. None of you asked for that. But what you did do is you loved someone so deeply, whether you chose your spouse or your child, who the second they come into this earth, it's a lifelong love affair.

Or those blessed to have a father, who was so dedicated to others that, yes, they sacrifice time for you, but isn't that what God calls us to do in our daily lives, in our careers and our professions? To find a way to give to others to make a difference? And I can think of no other calling than the fire service, than a place where people can make a profound difference in the lives of strangers, neighbors, others.

Whether it's the day-to-day, showing up, going through rigorous training - I know there's a lot of training involved. Those who continue a legacy perhaps. I met someone who is the grandson of a father and aunts and uncles who have all served. It's a beautiful tribute to others.

But so few choose this, and that's why I want to put a special emphasis on your families. Anyone can say, "I'm going to sign up to be a firefighter or law enforcement officer or fight in foreign wars to protect us." Only one percent of the population does, though. So the ones that you loved are in a special class of their own. They say that love is the price we pay for grief. I know you're grieving, whether it was years ago and the wounds are being reopened today, whether it's a more recent loss of life from contracting an illness because of showing up to search for survivors and help with recovery - 9/11, 25 years ago.

Those who thought they went home and their families thought they escaped, but years later succumbed to an illness that perhaps if there had been more warnings at that time, if the responsibility had been spread to alert people that this is dangerous, you need to be wearing protective gear, something could have changed, but that's not what today's about either. It's about me giving honor to the families who showed up here today because I see in your faces profound courage. You may not feel it. You may be crying, and you don't feel very courageous when you're crying and shedding tears, but you could have passed on today. You could have stayed in bed this morning and put the pillow over your head and said, "I just cannot do that. It's too painful." But you got up, you traveled and you're here. That is a sign of a love so deep, and I am in awe of it. So you loved well - spouse, child, parent, brother. And I want to say as the Governor of the State of New York, I'm touched by these moments. I'm touched by the people I was able to hold and perhaps share a little bit of love with out in the hallway there.

But you are the strength of our state. You are the ones who keep it together. You're the ones that were willing to sacrifice when your loved one was not home. You kept it all together, making sure that families were not disrupted, that the kids still had someone showing up at the sporting events, or if there's that empty seat at the table, perhaps you filled it with someone else who needed to be remembered on a holiday.

You're the ones who are the heroes to me. Yes, you lost a loved one who is a hero forever in the traditional sense of hero, and their name is emblazoned on that wall for eternity. But I want to thank the everyday heroes, those who showed up here today to remind us what your loved one's life meant to you, and indeed to all of us, because we have slept more safely at night knowing that those who train to be the professionals full-time or you're the volunteers all over the State of New York from Long Island up to the North Country.

I just want to say from my position, I can't take away the pain. There's no words that are going to ease it at all. But know how we honor you, the families and all of those in uniform here today at this memorial. I could not be prouder to be the governor of this kind of state where service means everything. Giving of yourselves to others. That's why we're here.

Thank you very much, everyone. God bless you, and may God bless the great State of New York and the United States of America.

Thank you, everyone.