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| Photo by David Carson, St. Louis Post Dispatch. "Scenes from the 27th annual Great Fire Engine Rally in St. Louis on Saturday. Fire fighters from both Missouri and Illinois who took part in the march carried photos of firefighters killed on September 11." |
September 11th, 2010 – A Firefighter from the St. Louis Metro area walks in the 27th annual Great Fire Engine Parade; in one hand, he has a fistful of a giant American Flag; in the other hand, a picture of an emergency responder who lost his life during the unthinkable events of 9/11. A tribute to those we lost September 11, 2001.
This is the image I’ve had in my head for the last few days. As a member of the planning committee for the Great Fire Engine Rally/Parade, I knew this was part of the plan for the parade – I expected to see it. What I didn’t expect was for it to move me to tears as I stood on the corner of Lenore K. Sullivan and Washington Ave.
Maybe it was seeing all 343 pictures at once (343 Firefighters were killed on 9/11/01). The photos were clipped to helmets, held in hands, put in the windows of the apparatus in the parade. Every vehicle, every person in the parade had a photo. Maybe it was seeing such a powerful expression of the brotherhood that exists within the fire service. Maybe it was the knowledge that each of those photos represents an empty place at a family’s dinner table. Maybe it was simply the reminder that our country experienced overwhelming losses that day.
I find that my memory often takes “snapshots” of these overwhelming experiences. These are simple still images that capture and express complex thoughts and feelings. Moments in time captured - each with a story to tell.
My own story with Disaster Services at the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter begins here. It was actually the events of September 11th that first brought me to volunteer in Disaster Services. After watching the planes crash and the towers fall, I felt I had to do something to help. My friend Jennifer Morgan (a dedicated Red Cross Volunteer, then and now!) invited me to come with her to volunteer at the Red Cross. I immediately accepted her invitation and called to sign up.
We arrived for our shift that evening and were assigned to work in the phone bank, answering calls from other St. Louisans who wanted to help. The phones rang non-stop. Some callers requested information of where to give blood, some made financial donations, and some were calling to check on the welfare of family and friends in New York City. The Red Cross was prepared to answer their questions, link them to information and provide them the opportunity to help. Our four hour shift quickly stretched to six hours.
I remember leaving chapter late that night (walking past what would be my desk when I joined the staff four years later – Oh the irony!), with my mind reeling from what I had just been part of. I knew the donations I had accepted would be used to help the victims of 9/11, including the families of those 343 emergency responders. I knew the information I had relayed would enable others to help too.
Through the Red Cross, I was able to make a difference.
And, while there are many, many pictures that might capture and express that idea, I’ll refer to the same photo I started with. Because, if you look very carefully, the two vehicles behind the Firefighters carrying the American Flag and the photos of those lost on 9/11…are American Red Cross Disaster Action Team (DAT) trucks.
Becky
Becky White is the Disaster Specialist for the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter.