5 Top Personalized Firefighter Retirement Gift Ideas

There’s a reason most young children say they want to grow up to be firefighters. The profession is noble, community-focused and hinges on bravery in the face of adversity. Most kids think of fire fighters as heroes, and many adults who’ve had a reason to know one agree. It’s this very reason that firefighter retirement is so bittersweet; both for the women and men who have served, and the people in the community who know and love them.

When trying to decide on a retirement gift for firefighters, consider a piece that can be customized. Personalized retirement gifts for firefighters mean so much more than a run of the mill gift card or generic basket. Consider these 5 top personalized firefighter retirement gift ideas to get you started.

1. Memory Books: A nice photo album filled with pictures, notes from colleagues and admirers, and old schedules or training materials is a beautiful way to mark a career. Consider getting a leather book where the fire fighters name, rank and dates of service can be stamped across the front; a nice extra touch.
2. Station Photo: Sometimes, all you need to mark a successful career is one, memorable photo of the entire station. Get the group together and pose for one professional shot, then have it mounted in an elegant frame, perhaps one that can be inscribed with an inspirational quote.
3. Custom Party: Consider throwing a party for your retiring hero with a “This Is Your Life!” theme. You can customize the menu to please the guest of honor, decorate the space with firefighter memorabilia and old photos and plan a series of speeches, or even a good-natured roast. If someone near and dear to the honoree is gifted with technology, consider making a video of well wishes to play at the party and for the retiring firefighter to take home as a souvenir!
4. Crystal Plaques and Awards: It’s amazing that there is something already out there, custom made for retiring firefighters. DIY Awards has designed a trove of gorgeous, easily personalized plaques and monuments to honor those who have walked the Thin Red Line and are ready for the next step. These beautiful pieces, like the Fire Department Retirement Award Plaque, for example, are made of optical crystal and can be deep etch engraved at no additional cost. Consider a gift like this, something that will truly stand the test of time.
5. Community Garden Path: For the firefighter who’s always showing up to community events and volunteering his or her time with local organizations, consider a tile mosaic or ceramic footpath in a local garden. Different organizations can paint and decorate tiles and press handprints into stone, and that retiring firefighter will always think fondly of his or her service when strolling through nature.

Any of these personalized firefighter retirement gift ideas is sure to delight the man or woman moving past his or her station days, and on to the next adventure.