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Flying flags at half staff for LODD's
I'm not sure about all the rules/laws regarding flying flags at half staff, however; I think it would be a simple, yet very respectful thing for all FD's to fly their flag at half staff whenever there is a LODD.
As far as I know, only the state governor can declare when to fly flags at half-staff. Is this true?
Is there a way to fly a flag at half-staff without your governor's permission?
What do you think about flying flags at half staff for LODD'S?
As far as I know, only the state governor can declare when to fly flags at half-staff. Is this true?
Is there a way to fly a flag at half-staff without your governor's permission?
What do you think about flying flags at half staff for LODD'S?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by DUST on
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Only the president or state governor can allow the flag to be at half-staff. It would be nice to fly it at half-staff for LODDs but I understand the reasoning for making it so restrictive since I don't want to see a flag at half staff outside a business because some company president died.
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Permalink Reply by Jason Brooks on
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Unfortunately, we would have them at half mast all the time. This would dilute the meaning of a half mast flag. The flag code is pretty sepcific about when to lower flags and for how long. The reality is, a firefighter or police man do not really qualify for this honor. I am not opposed to doing it at all. But, if we did it at all stations for all LODD's, we would never put our flags back up. And, that is the most tragic part of it all.
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Permalink Reply by Oldman on
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Here you go.
United States Code Title 4 Chapter 1 Section 7
(m) The flag, when flown at half-staff, should be first hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The flag should be again raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day. On Memorial Day the flag should be displayed at half-staff until noon only, then raised to the top of the staff. By order of the President, the flag shall be flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the United States Government and the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, as a mark of respect to their memory. In the event of the death of other officials or foreign dignitaries, the flag is to be displayed at half-staff according to Presidential instructions or orders, or in accordance with recognized customs or practices not inconsistent with law. In the event of the death of a present or former official of the government of any State, territory, or possession of the United States or the death of a member of the Armed Forces from any State, territory, or possession who dies while serving on active duty, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff, and the same authority is provided to the Mayor of the District of Columbia with respect to present or former officials of the District of Columbia and members of the Armed Forces from the District of Columbia. When the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, or the Mayor of the District of Columbia, issues a proclamation under the preceding sentence that the National flag be flown at half-staff in that State, territory, or possession or in the District of Columbia because of the death of a member of the Armed Forces, the National flag flown at any Federal installation or facility in the area covered by that proclamation shall be flown at half-staff consistent with that proclamation. The flag shall be flown at half-staff 30 days from the death of the President or a former President; 10 days from the day of death of the Vice President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives; from the day of death until interment of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a Secretary of an executive or military department, a former Vice President, or the Governor of a State, territory, or possession; and on the day of death and the following day for a Member of Congress. The flag shall be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day, unless that day is also Armed Forces Day. As used in this subsection—
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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Oldman posted the flag etiquette, but there is some leeway.
Regarding the loss of a FF, I can't state for certain, but the chief of the dept, or other officer can make the call to lower the flag, but if it is the dept of which the LODD occured. When we had our LODD in 2006, there was no waiting for the Govenor's decree to lower the flag.
On the flip side, last year another dept in our county lost their chief in a LODD. That dept put their flag at half staff right away, but we did wait for the govenor's decree to lower our flags.
I agree with this because when it is your dept that just lost a member, there is no reason to wait for the govenor to make the call. However, if the LODD is not your dept, then I would wait until there is a decree. I wouldn't agree with just lowering flags for LODD's until there was an official decree.
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Permalink Reply by Timothy D. Stone Jr on
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We fly our flag at half staff for any Firefighter death LODD or not in my county.
I also have a question about Firemen Funerals. Why do we put black tape cloth ect accross our badges?
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Permalink Reply by Ron Ayotte on
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It's called a mourning tab... and it is placed on the badge for LODDs from the time of the announcement until the funeral. If the LODD is in your FD, the mourning tab stays on for a month.
It's a sign of respect for the deceased.
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Ok thank you. We have yet to have an LODD in our dept. so I have yet to have to do that.
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Are the LODD rates higher for Paid or Volunteer?
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what do you mean by rates? the number of career LODD compared to volly LODD?
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Permalink Reply by Michael C. Harrison on
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What Dept. are you with that has that many LODD? That is INSANE.
We fly the flags at half staff for all members deaths active or retired....simply stated, it's a sign of respect.
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I think the sentiment of the thread was for any LODD, regardless of dept, state etc. Basically flying the flag at half staff at our stations for the Buffalo firefighters. The only place I know of where the flags are flown half staff for every LODD is the NFA in Emmitsburg, MD. I have been out there a couple times and have never been there when the flags were at full staff for the entire time.
That is what I believe Brooks is referring to.
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Yes thats what I mean. I just worded it wrong.
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