Take Action--I Double Dare You!

Orange City Firefighter, NJ

There was no whining--no bureaucratic road blocks--no hesitation whatsoever when the Orange Fire Department in New Jersey received a flyer from the 9/11 Patch Project asking for their department's participation back in 2002. They had just lost 343 of their brother FDNY firefighters months earlier, and honoring their memory made perfect sense. The fact the project was created by another fellow firefighter and was also a fund raiser--was a no brainer to them. This picture is of an Orange City Firefighter from New Jersey. The Original 9/11 Patch can be seen on the firefighters turnout coat--worn from years of firefighting but none-the-less it is still there representing how Orange Firefighters remember their fallen 343 brothers of the FDNY.

There are thousands of organizations around the world who have made one of the four 9/11 Tribute Patches a permanent part of the uniform, job-shirts, jackets or turnouts. But it has not been easy. What are the road blocks? Why is getting one of these patches from the only project of it's kind  (honoring the memory of our fallen 9/11 heroes) on every departments gear such a task?

Having worked as a firefighter/paramedic and union president in a fire department on the west coast for over 20 years, I have seen the mentality of some organizations out there but don't get it. It has really been about getting everyone on the same page or even getting the issue put to vote. Even the size of the department is not always the issue--its really about who is in charge in the union and the department itself. If the leaders aren't on board for whatever reason, then the rank and file can be left out of the entire process.

To help that decision to come on board with the 9/11 Patch Project as easy as possible, the project has even gone to great lengths to create as much transparency as possible on the website. The project even received an endorsement from the FDNY's Uniformed Fire Officers Association and has donated many 10's of thousands over the years to 9/11 related charities. And as a registered non profit, this worldwide effort to unite firefighters and place a permanent tribute on all uniforms, should have been a no brainer from the start.

LTJG Everett Alcorn- U.S. Navy

Too many folks are looking for a controversy where there is none and using any reason they can think of to opt out of something that may take a bit of effort but may end up being one of the best projects they had ever participated in. Still the patches can be seen on the uniforms of firefighters around the world and even deployed U.S. Soldiers.

So what did one of the largest Fire Departments in the nation do when I approached their union leader during the 10 Year Anniversary of 9/11? He was from Chicago Fire Department. He returned my call within 20 minutes--said he'd welcome our 9/11 Bus tour into their training center--called out his people to meet us--allowed us to present the project and even had the Fire Commissioner there to approve the 9/11 Patch for all FD job-shirts. This man is a leader and can make a decision!!Had he said no, I would have at least respected the fact he was willing to take my call and then make a decision.

There are emails, newsletters and even flyers that have been sent out to all U.S. departments at least twice over the past 10 years. Many were discarded as "junk mail" and members of many departments never even saw info on the project when it was killed at the union president or chief level.Why? Shrug it off to general laziness or the suspicious nature of firefighters.

Here's a news flash: This project is not a money maker for project founder Brett Hill! I have even put over $75,000 of my own money into this project over the years to keep it going. This has contributed to my own financial hardships and put a strain on my family of 5, one of which is my daughter with special needs. Am I whining? Not at all...just putting it all in perspective and just looking for folks to standup and be counted or sit down and say "NO."I keep this project running as I believe it is my calling and the right thing to do. I also do this as years ago when I heard the words, "Please Don't Forget Us," relayed to me from an LAFD firefighter, I made a promise right there to NEVER FORGET.

So if you receive and email from the 9/11 Patch Project in the future, have the guts to act on it and not hide behind the fact you can just ignore it. You may not believe that we should have a uniformed tribute to remember the heroes of 9/11--you may just believe it's time to move on and forget. But have the balls to respond either way.

If you believe in what the project has done over the past 10 years, then please take action! Visit the website and learn more HERE.

Become a 9/11 Patch Project LifeTime Sponsor

The 9/11 Patch Project would like to invite your organization to become our Lifetime Sponsor. Our non-profit effort to remember the heroes of 9/11 could really use your help—and we can provide some great visibility for your company/organization in return!

*Our Sponsors will greatly benefit this April 18th thru the 21st when we are on exhibit at this years FDIC-2012. This is the largest firefighting event in the world with as many as 30,000 visitors passing by our booth. See us listed as an exhibitor HERE. We are also great friends with the event entertainment which will bring more attention to our booth and the 9/11 Patch Project. Learn more about Adam Ferrara HERE. The deadline for submitting your sponsor payment and high resolution logo to be included in the FDIC event is April 1st, 2012.

Here is what the Sponsor page looks like. Our current sponsors are: Northrop Grumman, Chicago Firefighters, Rockford Firefighters, Philadelphia Firefighters, Beverly Hills Firefighters, Baltimore Firefighters, Auto Medic of Seattle, HazSim, Rapid Deployment Products, ID Safety 24 on 7 and Hire Patriots-Connecticut.

Here are some of the advantages of our sponsorship program.

• Exposure to your organization from 10′s of thousands of monthly visitors on our website

• Inclusion of your logo and link in our weekly newsletters’ 4000 subscribers

• Display of your logo on our booth banner at various events with a display of your handouts

• Radio and TV exposure of your organization from various interviews we do

• Mention of your organization in our press releases and other print media

Your Sponsor donation helps the project stay open and enables us to continue raising funds for the NYC Bravest Scholarship Fund, the Terry Farrell Fund and the Feal Good Foundation. Please follow this link  to secure your Sponsorship, send us your banner and web link via EMAIL and we will get it done within 12 hours. (If you do not have a banner, we can make one for you–just let us know) Questions? Call Brett Hill at             661-305-7476      

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!

Chicago Firefighters Local 2 & Northrup Grumman on the 9/11 Bus!

June 28th, 2011, the 10 Yr 9/11 Manhattan to Manhattan Bus rolled into Chicago's Quinn Fire Academy around noon. The bus was met by Tom Ryan, Local 2 President, the Chicago Fire Commissioner, and many Chicago Fire personnel.

Craig and Pam, the tour coordinators, were really taken care of by Local 2!

After providing a brief presentation of what the 9/11 Patch Project was all about, the Fire Commissioner gave his approval for the 9/11 Patches on Chicago Fire job-shirts.

About 2 weeks later, after board approval, Chicago Local 2 went with the Platinum Sponsorship and now have their logo on the 9/11 Bus. Local 2 will now finish the tour with us and ride into Manhattan to meet with the FDNY and other New Yorkers.

We want to thank Chicago for welcoming the tour into their organization and really stepping up to support our fund raising mission! We sincerely hope that other IAFF Locals and organizations will also step up and get on the 9/11 Bus to take this historical journey with us!

We want to also thank Northrup Grumman for stepping up and joining the tour with us. We are scheduled for a big visit to Northrup Grumman on August 2nd, at their facility near Baltimore. As you can see, NG was proactive and already have their logo on the bus! I am sure it will be great for them to see their logo on the side of the 9/11 Bus as we pull into Northrup Grumman on the 2nd!

Here is more information about the tour, sponsorships and the fund raising 9/11 Patches and Decals.

Thanks to all those who have supported the 9/11 Patch Project as we also approach our 10th anniversary of helping the world remember the heroes of 9/11.

Brett Hill- Founder