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Jill Atwood ReportingTwo years ago today a group of Utah Firefighters got the word they would be going to ground zero; their mission was of course rescue and recovery.
Utah Task Force One brought with them a desire to help and heal, but they also brought with them the thoughts and prayers of every other Utah firefighter.
"You can't really describe it. It's more than people can comprehend."
"They ran up the stairs and not down."
"There was no discernable office furniture you would think of, it was all pulverized."
Those are just a few of the thoughts and memories fresh in the minds of career firefighters and members of Utah Task Force One.
Today in Tooele was a service in memory of their bravery, and sacrifice at The Utah Firefighters Museum and Memorial Building.
Utah firefighters lost 343 members of their close-knit family that day. They'll tell you they all wanted to go back, but only a few could. But with that few went what its creator calls a giant get well card.
Mark Rothwell, Retired Firefighter: "It's a giant bed sheet with vinyl letters on it. It's the only thing I had in my house to make it but I had to make it and we’d hung it. I have a picket fence outside my house; we hung it on the picket fence."
Mark Rothwell says he was amazed when firefighters stopped un-invited to sign the banner. That gave him the idea to get more Utah firefighter signatures and send it back with the crew to ground zero. Today that bed sheet is back in Utah hanging in a place of honor. There are even more signatures, even more messages of hope.
The Utah Firefighters Museum and Memorial Building in Tooele is open to the public if you would like to view the banner for yourself.
