Twenty-four years after 343 New York City (NYC) firefighters died trying to rescue victims trapped inside the burning Twin Towers, members of the Canyon Lake Professional Firefighters Association (CLPFFA) will honor their sacrifice by recreating parts of that day during their second annual Freedom Walk at Overlook Park.
Starting 8 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 11, fully suited firefighters carrying heavy gear will make two, round-trip hikes from the Dam Red Barn restaurant at the base of Canyon Dam, up the steep hill to the service road at the top of the dam, and back down again.
Charles Richard, president of the association, said this is the exact distance NYC firefighters walked as they headed into the buildings and climbed the stairwells, never to be seen again.
The formal ceremony begins 9 a.m. at Overlook Park, located at 601 Corps of Engineers Rd., and features actual recordings between the doomed firefighters and dispatchers.
A bagpipe player will perform, and a color guard from the Comal County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) will add a patriotic element with a symbolic and solemn flag-folding.
Following the ceremony, firefighters will unpack their gear and walk with the public across the dam to North Park and back.
“We want this to be a community event that we can be proud of as a collective, not just the fire service,” Richard said. “We want to make this event something big that all local area people are coming to.”
The public is asked to wear red, white, and blue and to park at the Dam Red Barn, located at 16520 S. Access Rd. Shuttle service to Overlook Park will be provided at no cost.
Lunch follows, starting at 11 a.m. at the Dam Red Barn. Ten dollars buys a burger or a hot dog. The fundraiser features live music. Koozies and t-shirts will be available for purchase.
Richard said this fundraiser was originally scheduled for July but was postponed after the association decided instead to raise money for Kerrville firefighters who were financially impacted by the July 4 flood.
They raised over $32,000 at that event.
Now firefighters are asking Canyon Lake for the same support, so they can give back to their own community.
Emergency Service District 3’s Canyon Lake Fire/EMS firefighters are represented by the CLPFFA, which strives to care for its own, covering bills for members who are hospitalized or require other financial assistance.
When a firefighter was injured during a structure fire, CLPFFA wrote a $1,000 check to help with immediate expenses, purchased a specialty chair to aid in standing, and completed the paperwork for a $10,000 grant, which enabled him to seek specialist support in Houston.
When another member passed away, CLPFFA wrote a $18,000 check to his wife, equivalent to three months’ worth of salary.
“I love our organization, and I love the care that we provide to our members,” Richard said. “The only way we can do that is through community support from these events.”