Fortuna Fire, Veterans, and Boy Scouts Hold Flag Burning Ceremony

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Fortuna, Ca. (KIEM) — Today in Fortuna, a flag burning ceremony was held to retire those that are no longer in a suitable condition.

The veterans of foreign wars, the boy scouts, and the Fortuna fire department joined forces today to retire American flags that can no longer be flown. They held a ceremony to properly dispose of them. 

Before being burned, each flag is presented, folded up, and then tossed into the flames. It’s all about doing it in a respectful manner.

According to Al Dunnegan, the commander of the local Veterans of Foreign Wars chapter, “The flag should be retired in a dignified manner. What we have done here is conduct a ceremony, bless the flags, and dispose of them by burning which is the recommended way to dispose of them.”

If you weren’t able to make it to today’s event, but you have a flag that needs to be retired or disposed of, you can drop it off in the mailbox in front of the Fortuna Veteran’s Memorial Building.

“We collect them throughout the year and this year we have collected close to 400 pounds of flags,” Dunnegan said.

The Fortuna fire department has been doing this for the about ten years and takes steps to make sure that everything goes over safely. These include making sure the field they are burning in is wet and that everything is hosed down after the event is over.

If your flag is torn, faded, or tattered then it is time to retire it…and make sure that you dispose of it properly.