We could use your help!

All four of the 9/11 Patches

You get high quality 100% embroidered 9/11 Patches designed to remember and honor the heroes of 9/11--we get much needed funds into the project.

This is how the project has worked the past 10 years and we are hoping that we can continue doing our great work another 10 years--but it is up to you.

Although the project was created to provide one of four 9/11 Tribute Patches for Fire, EMS, Police and U.S. Military uniforms or other clothing, the patches can be purchased by anyone in the public. Beyond the four patches, the project has created 10 decals that can also be purchased to support the heroes of 9/11 by placing them on your vehicles.

The decals range from 2.5" X 3.5" to 8.5" X 11" and are high quality fade resistant 3M products. The decal material is the same that was used to wrap the 9/11 Bus for the 10 Yr 9/11 Manhattan to Manhattan Tour and is also fire rated.

For those who already have some of the 9/11 Patches and Decals, we would be honored to have your name or your organizations name on the 9/11 WALL. This is a very inexpensive way to contribute while still helping the project raise Funds. Once again, here are the links to the different ways you can contribute to the 9/11 Patch Project:

1. Order your 9/11 Patches and Decals HERE

2. Get quantity discounts and Specials HERE

3. Get your name or organization on the 9/11 WALL HERE

4. Make any size Donation HERE

5. Become a Sponsor for minimal cost HERE

Thanks again to those who have supported the project all these years and thanks to those who decide to contribute in any of the above ways to insure we continue at least another 10 years!

A Belgian Firefighter and a 9/11 Patch

I had just finished filling another 35 orders--it was about 9pm and I had a 48 hour shift to work in the morning. Just before leaving the office, I logged on and checked my email--up popped this picture of a Belgian Firefighter (Bob) wearing the 9/11 Patch on the front of his Class A uniform. I was awed by the image of a non-U.S. firefighter wearing the 9/11 Patch with the backdrop of our U.S. Flag, right on the front of his uniform! And, this project had crossed the borders of the U.S. and made it thousands of miles across the Atlantic. More important to me was the fact our loss of 343 brother firefighters became Bob's loss too.

This was back in March of 2002 when I was filling over 25 orders everyday for nearly 5 months. I would work my 48 shift at the Fire Department and spend my four days off filling orders--sometimes until 11pm. I looked forward to my email everyday because pictures like this were sent to me all the time.

Bob was the first picture sent to me of a non-U.S. firefighter wearing the 9/11 Patch. It is the most important picture as it was the first to demonstrate the world's response to the attacks on America, September 11, 2001. Bob was the only firefighter from Belgium to actually send his photo to me but many more Belgians would order the 9/11 Patches and Decals over the years.

Ironically, after looking for representatives to give the 9/11 Patch Project a more local presence in U.S. States and other countries, the first out-of-country representative to step up was a Belgian Police Officer named Christophe Knop. In Christophe's short time representing the 9/11 Patch Project in Belgium, he is already the front runner of our 23 representatives, bringing in 9 orders in December.

Shortly after Bob's photo was sent to me, I received photos from the UK, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Malta, Gemany and other countries with firefighters wearing one of the 9/11 Patches or displaying one of the 9/11 Decals. To date, there are over 25 countries with Firefighters, EMT's, Police Officers and U.S. deployed soldiers--all wearing one of the 9/11 Patches.

You see, it's not just about a patch anymore--it is about a fraternity of public safety and military personnel around the world that share common threads and all wear their hearts on their sleeves. Out of the tragedy of 9/11 came a unique act of solidarity that would go on to be unparallelled over the past 10 years. Are you wearing your 9/11 Patch or displaying your 9/11 decal?

9/11 WALL of Supporters

Since January of 2011, the 9/11 Patch Project has been adding the names of supporters to its 9/11 WALL. To date, there are many names of individuals, companies, fire departments, and other organizations that have stepped up to support the efforts of one of the longest running and farthest reaching 9/11 Projects in the world. Here is how you can contribute:

1. $9.11 X 1 = name, company or organization name
2. $9.11 X 2 = same but with name Bolded
3. $9.11 X 10= company or organization banner with website link on Sponsor Page.

The 9/11 Patch Project is a registered non-profit and these smaller donations insure that the project can continue the work it has been successfully doing around the world for 10 years.

Traffic to the 9/11 Patch Project website averages about 15,000 visits per month. According to Alexa, the website ranking organization, the website is ranked at 1.7 million, globally.

More about the 9/11 Patch Project and the fund raising patches and decals HERE

Ann Arundel County Firefighters Place Seal on 9/11 Bus

The week of August 1st started out great for the 10 yr 9/11 Manhattan to Manhattan Bus Tour. It was one of the busiest in the 6 month history of the national tour with a stop July 31st with Washington D.C. Firefighters, August 1st with Alexandria Firefighters, August 2nd with Northrop Grumman and Baltimore Firefighters and then, Ann Arundel County, the morning of the 3rd. And they were ready for us!

The photo is of Lt. Brandon Hiller of the Ann Arundel County Firefighters Association affixing their seal to the 9/11 Bus. Even before the bus arrived, and with just days to plan, the firefighters had already decided they would be ready with a check to present for the donation to get their seal on the bus. They even had their County Executive, John Leopold on hand for a speech. The day with Ann Arundel County representatives was one of the best welcomes the 9/11 Bus has had.

With 3 weeks still away from the 10th Anniversary of 9/11, it is the 9/11 Patch Project's hope that the bus will be covered with the seals of other supporters, both on the tour route and anyone else that wants to have their name or seal carried into Manhattan, September 7th. We want as many people and organizations out there to be counted among the nation's supporters when we arrive to visit with the FDNY, our three charities and other New Yorkers.

Right now, there is a great opportunity for anyone to get their name in the reflective stripe that surrounds the bus for only $100. The lettering will be reflective gold and each letter, 2" tall. So even as the bus travels down the road at night, all the names will be visible.

Logo's or "Seals," can still go on the bus for $911.11. There is plenty of space next to recent Platinum Sponsors; Ann Arundel County (MD), Chicago (IL), Rockford(IL), Philadelphia(PA), Carteret (NJ) and Northrop Grumman. You can go HERE to get it done today.

Rockford Firefighters Get On The 9/11 Bus

The 9/11 Patch Project- Fire Careers Bus was recently touring cities in Illinois. Rockford Fire Department was a great hosted tour stop on the Manhattan to Manhattan Tour schedule.

Rockford Firefighters pulled out all the stops and even cooked breakfast and lunch for the tour! The tours great friends, the Pitkins (also Rockford residents) came out and brought some of their friends to greet the bus! 

It was also a great surprise to have Rockford Firefighters get on the bus with us by getting their logo placed near the driver door.

Our "Don't Miss The Bus" promotion gives organizations the opportunity to get their names in the reflective stripe around the bus (Gold Sponsorship) or their actual 12" logo on the bus (Platinum Sponsorship). Getting on the bus with us means you will finish the tour with us and ride into Manhattan with your name or logo on the bus for the FDNY and other New Yorkers to see. It also helps us pay for the tour expenses and raise additional funds.

More about the 10 Yr 9/11 Manhattan to Manhattan Tour HERE. 

Learn about our 100 Ten Year 9/11 Helmet Window Decal give-a-way HERE.

Four Words--PLEASE DON'T FORGET US!

"PLEASE DON'T FORGET US." These four words were spoken to an LAFD Firefighter from an FDNY Firefighter at Ground Zero, September of 2001.

As the LAFD USAR Task Force was getting ready to leave, after their initial 2-week tour at Ground Zero, they were shaking hands and one FDNY firefighter grabbed my friends hand--held it firmly--looked him straight in the eye--and deliberately spoke those four words. I heard this from my LAFD friend who had just returned from Ground Zero. He told me this because I asked him what touched him the most after spending two weeks there working alongside the FDNY, trying to recover fellow firefighters who were lost in the rubble of the World Trade Centers.

These four words led me to start the 9/11 Patch Project nearly 10 year ago. The project would produce a 9/11 Tribute Patch for all firefighter uniforms--a way to honor fallen brothers--a reminder of what we all signed up for--and a way to raise funds for the families of the fallen. I was a firefighter/paramedic of 15 years at the time, working in Southern California.

In the first year of the 9/11 Patch Project, mailers were sent to all fire departments across our nation. Some took the mail as junk and tossed it--some thought it the work of an opportunist wanting to capitalize on the death of firefighters to make money, and tossed it--and some ordered patches and continue to wear them on their uniforms to this day. The first run of patch orders brought over $15,000 that was donated to the FDNY Uniform Firefighters Association on September 11, 2002.

Today, I still send mailers but reluctantly. More of them are thrown away as Chiefs and Union Presidents remain skeptical or just feel it's time to move on. I send emails but most are taken as spam and are deleted or just ignored. The 9/11 Patch Project newsletter is even shrinking--and most are on the list because they made a purchase or signed on at some point and time.

What recently inspired me to write this blog was a response I received from the Idaho Fire Chiefs Association after asking for their help to spread the word about the 9/11 Patch Project's 10 Year 9/11 Anniversary Plans to their State's Firefighters. One of the Board Members of the IFCA brought it up at one of their meetings and he told me there was just not enough interest in the project. WOW...have we really forgotten? Or is that just the feeling of the Fire Chief's in Idaho? (one of the first major 10 Year 9/11 Anniversary Tour stops was  in Jerome, Idaho.) I don't fault the messenger as I truly believe he thought highly of the project. Still on the other hand, the Nevada Fire Chiefs Association posted the info right on their home page. You can see it still there listed as the 2nd bullet point. Hit and miss but mostly miss! It's a lot of work but I never quit!

Even after 10 Years have gone by--many in America seemed to have moved on. Or at least the fire departments across the nation. Even with an endorsement from the FDNY Uniformed Fire Officers Association--fire departments remain skeptical or have just moved on. It's sad but I have witnessed the decline in support over the years, first hand.

You see when this project began nearly 10 years ago it was about remembering--not just for a year or two--remembering was supposed to mean forever.

As for me and the history of the 9/11 Patch Project, I will continue to remember and try and help the world continue to remember the heroes of 9/11. I'm not obsessed--I just feel a duty to continue responding to the words of one FDNY Firefighter nearly 10 years ago, who asked us on behalf of his brother FDNY Firefighters to never forget. Will you continue to remember? If you are a Fire Chief, will you lead--inspire--make your firefighters feel strong--try and bridge the enormous gap between chiefs and rank and file? Or will you tell them like a parent tells a child, it's time to forget about it and move on?

If you want to remember and continue to support the project, know that when you purchase the items on the project website that you are also contributing to the 9 year fund raising effort.