Honor Guard hopes to raise money for services to remember fallen

Doylestown, Pa. (WTXF) - The Firefighter and EMS Memorial Honor Guard says it needs a little help to remember fallen first responders and to provide support to their families.

Some 30 times this year the Bucks County Firefighters and EMS Memorial Honor Guard have put on their white gloves, donned their uniforms and honored the fallen. It's for the deceased and the families.

"Our families also put on the uniforms when we do. They've made tremendous sacrifices for us to be first responders," Commander of Honor Guard Dave Hathaway said.

Dave Hathaway is a first responder at Central Bucks EMS and the founder of the Honor Guard, which helps other EMS agencies, police and fire departments to honor the fallen either after a lifetime of service or in the line of duty.

"After 9/11 it became apparent that people wanted more protocol and guidelines on how to appropriately honor first responders," Hathaway said.

It's an 18 member group made up of EMS staff, police, firefighters and others that help with the details of the funeral to the ceremony of it--the sound of a bugle--the folding of the flag.

"We find we have to distance ourselves from the emotion aspect, but always to remember there are people impacted emotionally, very deeply by these deaths," Hathaway said.

Founded in 2015 and finding its services in demand, the honor guard is reaching out to the public--through GoFundMe on to raise $15,000 for flags and other items used in the services.

They believe the honor guard is the least they can do for those who've served their communities.

If you wish to help, please visit the their GoFundMe page.