Sara Stadem | Editor
September brings the start of fall weather, Friday night lights and harvest time. This September brings the 20 Year Remembrance of a day many will not forget.
Most anyone can tell you where they were 20 years ago when the news hit on September 11, 2001, when the Twin Towers were hit and so many lives were forever changed. There were 343 firefighters that gave their lives that day trying to save others and the Rosenbauer Group decided they wanted to build a fire truck to show their support to those brave firefighters, according to Rosenbauer Group Aerial Sales Manager Brandon Whittaker.
“About four months ago, we knew it was the 20th year. We wanted to do something as a tribute but we didn’t want to use the word anniversary because it’s not a celebration,” Whittaker said. He continued, “It’s a remembrance about what happened. So, we started talking to the firefighters at our New York area about it, how they felt and they politely said the same thing.”
It was decided to put the name of every firefighter that lost their life that day on the King Cobra firetruck as a tribute for their sacrifice, according to Whittaker.
Throughout brainstorming, Whittaker said there were a couple items that were very important to the group: every firefighter’s name had to be on the cab without being chopped up, meaning they can be able to be read easily and not in a crack or crevice and the graphics for the firetruck had to be done inhouse by their own internal graphics design group.
“For us, it was really important that every firefighter’s name could be easily read. We wanted to make sure they were seen and not in a crack or chopped up,” Whittaker said. He continued, “The other piece to it was that our internal graphics design group had to be the one to do the graphics on the truck. I didn’t want it outsourced. I wanted us to get to do it. I wanted us to design this 9-11 memorial truck and when I took it to the group to ask them about it, they were flabbergasted that they were given this opportunity.”
Whittaker explained why it was so important for the Rosenbauer Group to have their internal graphic design group to do the graphics.
“This remembrance truck is a big deal, 9-11 is a big deal and we all know that. What is the first thing you see with a fire truck? What it looks like,” Whittaker said. He continued, “You don’t see the inside, you don’t see how they operate. You see what it looks like, the graphics of it. So, for our group to design such a great tribute was pretty special.”
Whittaker continued, “It’s not gaudy, but it gets to the point that we lost 343 firefighters. That’s just firefighters. That’s not including the number of other people that died due to 9-11. Obviously, we know more people died because of 9-11 after that day as well.”
Once the King Cobra firetruck was complete, Aerial Sales Specialist Brett Monahon hit the road with the truck with several stops along the way to the FDIC (Fire Department Instructors Conference) which was held at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. The FDIC is the largest fire and emergency service conference in North America.
“I get messages from Brett every day that people are taking photos and taking selfies in front of the firetruck. So, I would say it’s having the affect that we wanted it to have, having people remember,” Whittaker said. He continued, “It’s been 20 years so some don’t think about it as much as they use to. And we want to make sure people remember.”
John Castles, one of the many New York firefighters at 9-11 that day, spoke in front of the King Cobra at the FDIC.
“Twenty years ago, my fellow brothers and sisters went to work on a gorgeous September morning not knowing that within a few hours the most tragic day in American History would occur. That morning I lost 343 of my brothers and sisters along with countless friends and loved ones. To this day, the men and women I worked with tirelessly digging through the pile are fighting for their lives. Gabrielli family is going to be announcing a fundraiser in the coming weeks to help the men and women who gave everything to find our brothers and sisters our sons and daughters our friends and loved ones. This fight isn’t going to be over today, tomorrow or even ten years from now. This is a long-term fight and we need the same support that we had the day after 9-11 as we will ten years from now.”
Whittaker explained Madison County, Mississippi, bought the truck before they even knew it was going to be a 9-11 memorial truck. “I was hoping they would keep the graphics on it once they saw it but of course, it’s their truck so they don’t have to,” Whittaker said. “Once they saw the truck, you could just hear the emotion in the voice and of course, they are keeping it as is.” He concluded, “They bought the truck as is and they are excited to get the truck into service on 9-11. With everything going on in the country right now, we need to take a step back and remember that it takes a team to get through something like that and it takes a team to move forward from it.”
Rosenbauer Group has decided they will be building one or two more of the 9-11 remembrance firetrucks for events. Whittaker explained, “We will be building one or two more. I want to have another one for 9-11 events so we will have another King Cobra and the graphics layout will be pretty much identical. We will be able to use them at charity events or parades.” He concluded, “I’m a firefighter in Wisconsin for over 15 years so I know the importance of brotherhood and sisterhood for stuff like this. It’s so much pride being a part of this. I think everyone can remember where they were and what they were doing when they found out the towers were hit. I think it just reminds you the importance of life and the importance of the event.”