A young female firefighter stands by fire trucks in the parking lot, ready to respond to an emergency. She is wearing a protective suit with an American flag patch on her sleeve.Learn more:ultimateflags.com

American firefighters are often honored with a special flag designed to look like a standard US flag, but with one notable difference: a thin red line featured in the center of the flag. It is a symbol of the courage that firemen must possess to risk their lives in the line of duty, and is sometimes displayed at events or memorials for fallen firefighters.

Brave Hearts: Fire Department Flags Collection

Various organizations, such as the American Legion and VFWs, collect these flags for disposal, often holding a flag retirement ceremony. The American flag is considered a sacred symbol, and as such, it must be disposed of in a dignified manner.

The Ceres Fire Department has recently set up a box for the public to drop off old American flags that have outlasted their usefulness. The firehouse also offers a yearly ceremony to honor its fallen firefighters, including a remembrance for the late firefighter, Bunyan Price Jr.

The firefighters are proud to display their new flags, which feature a black and white US flag with the thin red line of honor for those who have died in the line of duty. The flags are also used as part of a series of artwork by local artists. One of their creations is even in the home of a country music star!