ALBANY – Any firefighter who is killed while performing services in the line of duty will have his or her name included on the Fallen Firefighter Memorial. The new law, signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo, ensures that the both volunteer and professional firefighters who lost their lives while protecting others are subject to the same criteria for inclusion on the Memorial.

"The Fallen Firefighters Memorial honors the lives of our state's bravest men and women who died while protecting others," Cuomo said. "Every firefighter who has paid the ultimate sacrifice while protecting their community deserves to be recognized for their courage and heroic service. This new law will ensure that New York State properly recognizes the extraordinary sacrifice of all firefighters who died while putting their lives on the line and that their memory is preserved forever. I commend Majority Leader Skelos, Speaker Silver, and Assembly Member Weisenberg for their hard work on this important legislation."

The New York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial is located on the Empire State Plaza, adjacent to The Egg. The wall bearing the names of the fallen was dedicated in 1999, and includes more than 2,300 names with the earliest dating from a death in 1811.