Rotherham firefighters join 9/11 tribute

TWO firefighters are swapping their fire hoses for handlebars to mark the anniversary of 9/11 with an epic ride to Ground Zero.

Crew manager Richard Barr and firefighter Jason Jenkinson, both Harley Davidson enthusiasts, have joined hundreds of US emergency service workers on the bike trip which takes a route between Chicago and New York each year to mark the tragedy.

The two  will today arrive at the site of the devastating terror attacks to pay their respects on the tragedy’s tenth anniversary.

Before they set off, Richard, said: “By the time we reach New York there’ll be thousands of us biking en masse into New York City.

“It’s a real privilege to be part of such a huge event, and I’m sure the memorial service itself will be a very emotional occasion, especially for the New York firefighters we’ll be biking with.”

Richard and Jason travelled as part of a group of 33 UK firefighters who flew out to the United States on Sunday.

They left the Chicago Red Sox stadium two days later with the aim of arriving at Ground Zero in time for a special memorial service.

Memorial services begin at Ground Zero on September 11 at the exact time the first tower was struck.

Among the thousands of people killed in the terrorist attacks of September 9, 2001, were 343 firefighters and 60 police officers.

Richard and Jason’s route will take them from Chicago to Youngstown, Ohio, onto Gettysburg via the Flight 93 Memorial in Stonycreek Township, Pennsylvania, then on to Washington DC, Stroudsburg, New Jersey and through the Brooklyn Tunnel to New York.

Jason added: “It will be great to represent South Yorkshire’s firefighters over there and to meet firefighters from all over the world.

“We’ve both had to save around £3,500 to fund the trip, but I’m sure it will be worth every penny.”