P-010 Fire Service Funerals

Date of Issue: 1997/09/03
Revision Date:  1999/05/01

PURPOSE: 

To provide standards to ensure the Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency Funerals are conducted with dignity and good taste in accordance with protocol, always keeping in mind the wishes and feelings of the next of kin.

OBJECTIVE:

The objective of this policy is to ensure that the wishes and feelings of the next of kin are incorporated within the funeral and that the funeral is conducted with dignity and in good taste. 

SCOPE:

This policy applies to all career and volunteer members of Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency.

POLICY: 

Upon learning of the death of a Retired or Active member of Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency, the following steps will be taken:

The Deputy Chief Director or designate will appoint an Officer-In-Charge (OIC) who will be responsible for the Department’s involvement in the funeral procedures.

The Administrative Assistant to the Deputy Chief Director (or designate) shall notify all Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency Fire Stations to lower Station flags to half-mast and shall also notify the Fire Service Chaplain for visitation purposes.

The OIC shall contact the family of the deceased member and, in coordination with the funeral director establish the family’s desires as to the Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency’s involvement in the funeral. Administrative Assistant to the Deputy Chief Director (or designate) shall notify the Honour Guard, based on the family’s wishes, to prepare for the Funeral.

Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency will offer the following services: 

  1. A formal funeral, at home, funeral home, church or cemetery, involving the use of an Engine, active pallbearers, honorary pallbearers, honour guard and Funeral Detail.
  2. A semiformal funeral at home, funeral home, church or cemetery involving active pallbearers, honorary pallbearers, honour guard and Funeral Detail.
  3. A non-formal funeral, at home, funeral home, church or cemetery. There being no Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency Service involvement other than members attending in a passive role either in the viewing and/or funeral service.
  4. A private funeral, at home, funeral home, church or cemetery respecting the family’s wishes to have no outside participation at the funeral. Having established the wishes of the Family, the OIC shall carry out any or all of the following in order to realize these wishes. The OIC shall continually be in communication with the funeral director and the Deputy Chief Director as he/she arranges for the Fire Service’s participation.

1. Normal Funeral Arrangements

  • Arrange for Active Pallbearers; Six (6) plus an officer if desired.
  • Arrange for necessary equipment
  • Arrange for Honorary Pallbearers (Family, Company Officers, Retirees, etc.) if requested.
  • Arrange for Funeral Detail (All uniformed members in attendance).
  • Arrange for the Honour Guard; Appoint a Funeral Parade Commander.
  • Provide all members of the Fire Service with the information to carry out their roles in the funeral
  • Survey the area of the services and make provisions for placement of all attending units and provide information for map preparation
  • Designate an area of assembly for all attending Officers and dignitaries (preferably in a building, funeral home, church, school, or fire station)
  • Designate an area of assembly for all other members of the department and visiting firefighters.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITES:

Members: 

  • All members will at all times maintain a clean, pressed and properly fitted uniform for use at funerals.
  • All off duty members and those duty members, upon proper relief from normal duty, should make every effort to honour their fellow members by attending the funeral services. 
  • All members of the Fire Service shall acquaint themselves with the prescribed courtesies of the Fire Service’s funeral procedures as outlined in this policy. 

Honorary Pallbearers:

  1. Persons designated as Honorary Pallbearers, usually retirees or members of the deceased’s company, shall at all times move ahead of the casket as it is moved.
  2. The Honorary Pallbearers shall sit on the designated side of the church during the service.
  3. Dress for Honorary Pallbearers:

       a)Retirees will normally wear civilian clothes if uniforms are not available.
       b)Active members shall be in dress uniform.

Active Pallbearers:

  1. The Active Pallbearer Detail shall consist of six (6) pallbearers plus an officer if desired.
  2. The pallbearers shall remain covered at all times while acting in this capacity and will wear white gloves.
  3. The pallbearers will not salute while acting in that capacity.

Funeral Detail:

Officer in charge may appoint a Funeral Parade Commander (P.C.):

  1. All members of the Department, not otherwise detailed, will act as the Funeral Detail, in dress uniform, no gloves required.                                         •Summer Dress Uniform.
     •Winter Nylon winter coat. If gloves are worn they must be black.
  2. The Funeral Detail will arrive as a group from the staging area prior to the arrival of the Hearse at the church and take a position in front of the Church. 
  3. As the Active Pallbearers move the casket from the Hearse the Funeral Detail will be called to attention by the OIC or P.C.
  4. After the casket passes, the OIC will order “at ease” and the Funeral Detail will file into the church according to rank and sit in the designated area of the church. Head covering is removed upon entering the Church.
  5. After the service the Funeral Detail, on the order of the OIC, will file out of the Church and in the case of a formal funeral take a position on both sides of the entry. 
  6. If semiformal service, the Funeral Detail will form facing ranks on both sides of the entry with senior officers closest to the hearse. 
  7. The Funeral Detail rides as a group in designated cars to the cemetery or between the funeral home and church.
  8. The Funeral Detail at the cemetery again form two ranks according to rank from the location of the hearse to the grave site, with officers closest to the grave.
  9. After the casket is placed over the grave, the Funeral Detail forms ranks in front of the grave, highest rank on the right 

The funeral formation is formed before the casket is moved and the casket is then carried through the formation followed by the family.

This Fire Service funeral protocol may vary dependent upon the circumstances of member status, i.e. line of duty, off duty or retired.

Station Flags shall return to full mast at sunset on the day of the funeral or the next sunrise following the day of the funeral.

RELATED POLICIES/ OPERATING GUIDELINES:

P-009 Notification of Death or Serious Injury
P-019 Clothing and Appearance
P-406 Flying of Flags at fire Stations

POLICY REVIEW:

This policy will be reviewed when/if there are changes or amendments made to the current Fire Service Funeral protocols.