Colorado Springs, CO ~~ From the moment I arrived in this fair city, firefighters were there. Local 5 saw to it that everyone was greeted at the airport, had transportation, and every reasonable need was met. Having traveled a bit in the past few years, I have to say this was one of the most organized efforts I've experienced. This sentiment was spoken often during our stay, and I'd like to go on record with a huge Thank You to all involved!!!
Colorado Springs hosts this event annually, and it is truly amazing. And though they really make it wonderful for those of us who will come back year after year, their true intent is to make sure that the families and loved ones of those who were lost in the Line Of Duty, are well cared for, and treated with ultimate success. The hours and hours of time involved for the Colorado Firefighters to make this happen, is unbelievable. So, we thank them, but also hope that they have gotten a great sense of pride, satisfaction, and a lot of rest since we all left.
The citizens as a whole were most courteous, and receptive to this inundation, kilts, and all! Everyone was friendly, and it was most appreciated!
The ceremony left many in tears. I heard it repeated many times that "I didn't even know any of them, but I still couldn't help but cry." This memorial gets more impressive every year, and bigger. And the families see the effort of so many through eyes filled with pride.
There is a lot involved to make this all happen so smoothly. So it was an honor that at the Honor Guard meeting I was allowed time to present HeroToHero.US ... and ... the banner signed by our Troops to the IAFF as a thank you. It was great to see it put up right at the entrance in the lobby of the Doubletree Hotel where so much was going on. Not sure if it will go back to DC, or stay in Colorado Springs with the IAFF there. Either way is good for us, but hope to find out.
We had several large groups dining together, and it wasn't a "local" type thing. Didn't matter if you were from the same state, or coast. We went with Seattle, Framingham, Boston, Tualatin Valley, Tacoma, and the boys from Alabama ... and it rocked! 67 of us for dinner made sure that our 4 waitresses earned the tip we left. And watching the firefighters stop to sing happy birthday to a woman on the way out, was a class act and a lot of fun to watch!
Of course we all ended up downtown, mostly at Jack Quinn's Pub ... and folks, 'til you experience the night life downtown when the pipes and drums march in, you just haven't lived. That is such a memorable time. They file, in all of their regalia, and the whole place rocks! We're not talkin' Amazing Grace at this point, although glasses and mugs are raised and moments fall silent for Fallen Brothers and Sisters. People hug, and move to the beat and sing along as they can, and just have good harmless fun. You don't see bar fights here, no matter how much Guinness passes through the crowd. Just good people!
Of course, Mama Rose (Foti) cames out ahead of time and makes her world famous meatballs. She spends much of her time in the kitchen as folks come in and out to say hello and pay their respects. Outstanding as always. *Note to self, save more room for these!!! And don't let her know we're going out to eat. She's small, but she's tough!!! lol
Kevin McHarg from Canada, helps Rose get the word out for the WTC Families for Proper Burial, http://www.petitiononline.com/WTCASHES/petition.html making sure black bands are available for all. This has been an uphill battle for them, and it was nice to see them be allowed a moment to speak at the HG meeting.
One of the coolest parts for me, was getting to see so many familiar faces from past tours. Nothing like walking in to smiles. It also made explaining the program to so many, that much easier. Being on the bus explaining to a Canadian Firefighter that YES we will send shirts to their Troops, too, it was nice to have someone who has participated in H2H, fill in the parts I left out. NIIIICE teamwork!
And for the record, we welcome all of our ally countries to participate in the HeroToHero.US Troop Morale campaign. How cool would it be to have not just Canada, but Britain, Australia, etc., follow the lead?! Let's get 'em ALL shirts!
Hope you enjoy the photos. If you have more that you took, and you'd like to share them, send them our way!
Good seeing you all. Stay safe. Start collecting those shirts! That Valentine's Day deadline will be here before you know. Oh, and make sure to go on the main site under the "First Responders" tab and pledge your participation. We NEED you ... the Troops are counting on us all!
A moment of silence please for all of those whose names are on the Wall ... 122 were added this year.
lj
**This was sent to me recently, seemed appropriate to share ...
Your alarm goes off, you hit the snooze and sleep for another 10 minutes.
~~The tone goes off at 2 in the morning he is on his way to a wreck with entrapment.
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You take a warm shower to help you wake up.
~~He's been awake for three days working at four different stations running calls all day and night and doesn't get to shower.
____
You complain of a "headache", and call in sick.
~~He gets burned or trapped inside, or while cutting someone out of a car something flies off the car and injures him, or car explodes, he gets called to a medical call where someone was shot ... is that person still around!!!
____
You meet up with your friends at the camp and get drunk!
~~He responds to the unconscious people and the grass fire you started.
____
You make sure you're cell phone is in your pocket.
~~He kisses the Maltese Cross around his neck and says a prayer before he goes in the burning building.
____
You talk trash on your "buddies" that aren't with you.
~~He prays that his buddy next to him comes out alive and they watch out for each other...for they know the value of a true friend and are brothers and sisters for life.
____
You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls.
~~He crawls around a pitch black, totally involved house searching for the old lady and her grandchild that didn't make it out.
____
You complain about how hot it is.
~~He wears his heavy gear, not taking it off in the 900 degree heat and flames for he appreciates the heat and learns to deal with it.
____
You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong.
~~All he got was a MRE from a rehab truck because he only has a 10 minute break before he has to go back out and try to stop the three hundred acre grass fire from reaching any houses.
____
Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes.
~~He wears the same things for days, but makes sure his trucks, gear, and equipment are clean.
____
You go to the mall and get your hair redone.
~~He didn't have time to take a shower or brush his teeth this morning because they got a four alarm fire.
____
You call your girlfriend and set a date for that night.
~~He goes sometimes weeks not going home or seeing the ones he loves.
____
You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday.
~~He looks at the picture he keeps in his wallet or gear and kisses it and says "BABY I PROMISE I'M COMING HOME SOON AND IF I DON'T, I LOVE YOU AND I JUST HOPE I DID EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO MAKE YOU HAPPY."
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You roll your eyes as a baby cries.
~~He sits on the curb and his buddies kneel down and cry and say a prayer for the child that didn't make it.
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You criticize your local fire station because they got behind you and were holding down the air horn trying to get you to get out of the way
~~He prays even if you don't move out of the way that they can make it in time to save the people inside and maybe even the house.
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You hear firefighters joke around and say they are nothing but a bunch of jackasses
~~He hears the tone and they are ready in a moments notice, it's all fun when its just him and his buddies at the station playing around, once that tone goes off it's all work and no play.
____
You hear on the news some firefighters were laughing at a wreck and think "a**holes"
~~He sees the only way to try not to cry out in front of everyone because someone didn't make it, was to tell a joke about one of his buddies.
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You stay at home and watch TV.
~~He takes whatever time he is given to clean, eat, fix something at the station, cook, wash firetrucks, and then relaxes for 20 minutes and has to go assist a medic unit with a collapse patient.
____
You crawl into your bed, with down pillows, and try to get comfortable.
~~He crawls into a single person bed with a stiff pillow and just a sheet at 4 in the morning to try and sleep until 6 before he has to go to his next shift at one of the other stations.
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You sit there and judge him, saying he is stupid for running into a burning building.
~~If only there were more men and women like him.
PLEASE REPOST IF YOU ARE A FIREFIGHTER OR ARE A HUSBAND/WIFE, A SON/DAUGHTER, A COUSIN, OR A FRIEND OF A FIREFIGHTER BECAUSE THEY ARE OUT THERE FIGHTING AND RISKING THEIR LIVES FOR US!!
