Boston Fire Department members who went above and beyond the call of duty will be honored next month at the department relief fund's 146th Annual Awards Ceremony & Gala, set for Friday, November 6, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Venezia, 20 Ericsson Street in Boston. WCVB personality Doug Meehan will emcee the evening, which will include live entertainment following the awards presentation.
The gala, according to WCVB, will recognize department members for exceptional acts of heroism as well as the bravery, dedication and service of those who protect the Boston community. The event doubles as a fundraiser for the Boston Fire Department Relief Fund, which has supported active and retired department members and their families for more than 150 years, per the same report. Beyond ceremonial recognition, the fund also provides scholarships for aspiring students of Boston firefighters and assistance to members facing hardship.
A Legacy of Honoring Heroism
The relief fund's own event listing describes the gala as a chance to honor the selfless acts of heroism demonstrated by members who have gone above and beyond the call of duty, according to bfdrelief.org. The site frames the night as recognizing and celebrating the bravery, dedication and service of the department's own who protect the community every day.
At a department awards ceremony scheduled for October 24–25, 2026, 20 Boston Fire Department workers were recognized for bravery during 2013, including 13 firefighters honored specifically for their response to that year's Boston Marathon bombings, according to the Boston Globe. That ceremony was held at The Westin Boston Waterfront hotel, with recipients chosen by the department's Board of Merit alongside the fire commissioner, the paper reported.
Screenings Reach Dozens of Firefighters
Behind the gala's celebration sits a less visible piece of the relief fund's work: a body scan initiative launched in 2019 to subsidize cancer and cardiovascular screening tests for department members. The fund has subsidized screenings for more than 90 Boston Fire Department members and distributed more than $34,000 directly to firefighters through the program, the organization's cancer screening page states.
Eligibility is limited to Boston firefighters with at least 10 years on the job, and the department will accept up to 500 members on a first-come, first-served basis. Testing is available through St. Elizabeth's Hospital and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and the relief fund subsidizes screening costs. The program also offers cardiac screening.
What the Night Supports
The November gala folds these health initiatives into a broader mission that has defined the relief fund for generations. The gala supports a fund that has quietly backed Boston firefighters and their families through hardship, scholarships and medical screenings for more than a century and a half. Meehan's turn as emcee gives the evening a familiar local face to help spotlight that work as the department prepares to celebrate its honorees.
