MO Task Force 1 members honored on 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks
COLUMBIA — Members of the Boone County Fire Protection District honored Missouri Task Force 1 members who were deployed to the World Trade Center on 25th anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attacks. The surviving members of the task force’s first deployment shared their memories during lunch.
38 of the original 65 members of Missouri Task Force 1 gathered at the fire district’s headquarters for the event. These brave men and women reflected on their efforts at Ground Zero where the attacks killed nearly 3,000 people.
Task force members hope Americans never forget.
Missouri Task Force 1 Founder Steve Paulsell said, “I think it’s important, not only to understand the effect of that and the impact then, but even today. What we are doing over in the Middle East is a result of that.”
Retired Missouri Task Force 1 Member Ted Kettlewell said, “There were 2,977 people, or there abouts, that were killed that day. They were from 80 different countries. It really was a world event. The second thing is, when you have the chance and if you have the capability and the expertise or the training, we should all be finding a way to serve other people. We really should.”
Members of Missouri Task Force 1 will attend an evening remembrance ceremony on Friday night at the Missouri State Capitol.