On Saturday, elected officials, first responders and other interested parties gathered at Washington’s fire station on the corner of Market and Fifth streets. They were there to honor a firefighter who died in the line of duty 114 years ago, battling a blaze on the Washington waterfront.

It’s a different kind of memorial service. More than a century after Edward Peed’s death, many believe it’s important to continue honoring the man for several different reasons. First, because Edward Peed is the first recorded North Carolina firefighter to die in the line of duty. Second, Peed was African-American, a 20-year veteran of the all-black Salamander Fire Company. Third, his death spanned any existing racial divide in 1902, bringing the entire town together to memorialize and mourn a man who sacrificed his life for the wellbeing of Washington and its residents.

The interesting thing about this annual memorial service organized by the Human Relations Council, is that it is just as much about today as the events of yesteryear. That sacrifice is no less important now as it was then. Because what has happened to this memorial service is that, yes, while Peed’s sacrifice is acknowledged, it has become a springboard for a greater acknowledgment — recognizing the men and women who put their personal safety and health on the line for others, not just today or yesterday, but every day. It is a ceremony that starts with Peed’s death and ends with a reminder that between each resident of Beaufort County and personal harm, there is a wall of first responders whose commitment to their community demands they rush in where others would flee.

The Ed Peed memorial service is a thank you: to a man who helped prevent Washington from, once again, going up in flames so many years ago. But it’s also an expression of gratitude for all firefighters and first responders, current and past, and that’s an expression of gratitude that every community should stand behind.