Let’s show our support for the borough’s emergency services heroes

Emergency Services Day is a national celebration across the UK, and is your opportunity to show your support for our selfless NHS and emergency services champions.

Emergency Services Day is also known as 999 Day and will take place on Thursday, September 9^th. It celebrates the fire, ambulance and police services who help us with emergencies every day, often at risk to themselves.

The campaign also promotes the importance of using emergency services responsibly, educates the public about basic lifesaving skills, and highlights the many career and volunteering opportunities available within the services.

There will be a special flag-raising ceremony at Blackburn Town Hall on the day starting at 8.45am with welcome and messages from the Mayor of Blackburn, Councillor Derek Hardman, the Leader of the Council, Councillor Mohammed Khan, and Canon Brian McConkey from Blackburn cathedral who will say a special prayer in tribute to all emergency workers.

A two-minute’s silence will take place to remember the more than 7,500 emergency services personnel killed in the line of duty in the last 200 years and to remember the many more who have been injured or died as a result of their service.

Representatives of the emergency services will be at the event, and will say a  few words about the importance of having a 999 Day to show support for those who save life, limb and property.

999 Day is supported by HM The Queen, HRH The Prince of Wales, HRH The Duke of Cambridge, the Prime Minister and First Ministers of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

It is also supported by the National Police Chiefs’ Council, the National Fire Chiefs’ Council, Association of Ambulance Chief Executives, the NHS, Maritime and Coastguard Agency and all Search and Rescue organisations across the UK.

Councillor Mohammed Khan, Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said:

Now, more than ever, during these unprecedented times, it is so important to celebrate the work and dedication of our brilliant emergency services. They carry on through all conditions and situations, and we really would be lost without them.

I hope people in the borough will take a few minutes on Thursday to give a thought to all our 999 heroes and show their appreciation of all our emergency workers.”

Mayor of Blackburn Councillor Derek Hardman said:

It is an honour to be able to give thanks in this way to all who work in the emergency services, especially those who live and work in our borough.

They play a hugely important role in keeping all of us safe, and this is particularly true during the ongoing pandemic. Their work and dedication to our community should be celebrated. We never know when we might need the emergency services and we should never take them for granted.”