LAKEWOOD RANCH - Firefighters in East Manatee County paid tribute Friday with a program honoring the victims of September 11th, 2001. 2,752 people died in the terrorist attacks; 343 of the men and women were firefighters.
In Lakewood Ranch, crews from East Manatee Fire Rescue demonstrated a structure fire using the MTI East campus. It was an act to reinforce what they stand for and to remember a day that will always be etched in our hearts and in our minds.
Students watched firefighters from a distance simulate a structure fire, where some of the men did not make it out. "You do something like this and a lot of those feelings come rushing back to you, you know...anger, fear, wanting to help...it's definitely an experience none of us will forget," says firefighter Erik Nicholson.
It's been 8 years since the attacks and Lt. Rick Wren says the memory of the day still hurts. "It makes you want to cringe, because you know that every day that we're on duty whether we're in the trade center or we're in a house in Lakewood Ranch, it's a possibility that someone could lose their life." says Lt. Rick Wren.
"A bad situation like that actually brings people closer; it makes you remember doing this job for years and years and years. The date comes around once a year and it makes you remember how important it is what you do," says Nicholson.
Jim Zeintara says his daughter had just finished her internship at the World Trade Center before the attacks. Thankful she's okay, he came out to pay tribute to those who died. "It's a sad remembrance and I hope that no one will ever forget today, we may forgive but no one will ever forget," says Zeintara.
The Coast Guard flew over to complete the program.
Lt. Wren says the ceremony and the memories reinforce why they do what they do. "I know that the Lord put it on my heart to be a firefighter to help and to be a public servant. This just reiterates it on 9/11. It just makes it even that much more true to me that I want to be there and help people as much as I can," says Wren.
At the main campus in Bradenton, students read poems and watched a presentation including photos of students and family serving in the military. They also hosted a blood drive where they had a record number of people show up to donate.
