Who's Wearing the 9/11 Patches

I was recently browsing the Internet to find some of the early adopters of the Original 9/11 Patch and I found this picture of Chief Mike Steh of the Herrin Fire Department in Illinois.

Chief Steh represents a fire department that first purchased the 9/11 Patches for their members back in March of 2002. For nearly 10-years, they have supported this project and made a pledge to never forget! Most important, they wear their hearts on their sleeves and share common threads with nearly 4000 other fire departments across the U.S.

With the 10 Year 9/11 Anniversary upon us, the 9/11 Patch Project is currently touring the nation with Fire Careers to spread awareness of the 10 year mark of 9/11, recruit other organizations to wear the patch and raise funds for the FDNY Bravest Scholarship Fund, Terry Farrell Fund and the Feal Good Foundation.All the net funds from the sale of any of the 9/11 Patches, decals and pins, will be donated along with other cash donations to the funds above. Please have a look at the schedule of the tour at the Fire Careers link above and contact Craig Freeman  if you think you can host a tour-stop. Keeping in mind it costs about $1 a mile to move the bus, we'd appreciate it if you can bring a good size crowd out!

We also encourage your organization to get on the bus with us though a sponsorship. The sponsorships range from getting your name in the reflective stripe that circles the entire bus to getting a 12" logo of your company on the side of the bus. This will help raise funds and contribute to the cost of fuel for the trip that is estimated at $20,000.

For those of you with a tighter budget, you can donate a much smaller amount and get on the 9/11 Patch Projects 9/11 WALL. It only costs $9.11 to get your name on the WALL.

Thanks to all the supporters out there that have helped us keep this project going strong the past 10 Years!

Get Your 9/11 Patches & Decals Before the Rush

Order the 9/11 Patches and decals for your organization before the summer rush. Every year, in the few months leading up to the anniversary of 9/11, many rush to order their patches and decals and it overwhelms the project. Last year, 450 orders came in from August 11 to September 11. With only a couple of us filling orders, it translated into some delays for those who purchased the patches and decals at the last minute. Many emailed or called asking where their patches were; within just a few days of ordering. Still, we managed to get 98% of orders to people prior to 9/11/10. I personally spent my entire summer processing orders. And most of the funds from orders went to pay the vendor bill left to us when Melissa Powell of "Keep Our Heroes safe," didn't pay her 5000 patch bill. So if you are going to make a large order for your organization, we will get it done but will need to receive payment prior--thanks to Melissa!

It is the 10th Anniversary of 9/11 and a very significant milestone for the 9/11 Patch Project that began its' efforts in December of 2001. As many of you know, there are over 6000 organizations represented (wearing on of the patches or displaying one of the decals) in 22 countries.

With the 10 Year 9/11 Anniversary Manhattan to Manhattan Tour well underway, patches and decals have been nearly sold out at every hosted tour stop. Donations have been given at every stop as well, so our entire fund raising mission is going very well!

Craig and Pam of FireCareers have done an incredible job driving thousands of miles all over the U.S. to be at these great hosted tour stops. As the tour moves on, the press is picking up the story and the crowds are growing! It's still not too late to get on the tour map. Contact Craig to see if he can fit you in. All we ask is that you bring a good size crowd if we can get your hosted stop on the tour. In some cases, Craig and Pam will make a significant diversion to make it to your stop. At $1 a mile, this gets very costly!

GOT BUS? Get on the 9-11 Patch Project Manhattan to Manhattan Tour BUS. Get your name, church, military unit, firefighter local, police officer local, business, or organization included in the FireCareers Bus SAFETY STRIPE of names. That’s right, we are starting to install our reflective stripe around the BUS. Our stripe will be multiple lines of inch and half reflective letters with names of those who donate $911.11 to the 9-11 Patch Project. Please show your support for these worthy organizations and make your donation today. Get on the BUS as soon as possible and show your support.

Thanks to all of you out there that are supporting this effort!

10 Yr 9/11 Original Firefighter Pin

A new item has been added to the 9/11 Patch Project online store. The pin pictured on the left, is a replica of the 10 Yr Original Patch and measures 1" X 1 1/4". 

These pins are made with a high end production process called Semi Cloisonné and not the photo etched or soft enamel pin that many offer out there. This is a very high quality and durable pin.

For those who are having a hard time getting the patch approved for your on duty uniform, this pin is a great alternative! With the 10 Year Anniversary of 9/11 only months away, now is a great time to get yours!

We will also be adding dog tags and key chains with this same design. Here is a sneak peek at the items:

Also, for those who have asked about T-Shirts, Hoodies, Mugs, Mouse Pads and other items, we have opened a store with Zazzle so that we can now supply them. Click the picture below to go to the store:

9/11 Patch Project Items

Channel 11 Covers 9/11 Patch Project tour stop in Jerome Idaho

Channel 11 news report of the FireCareers-9/11 Patch Project national tour stop in Jerome, ID, this past Saturday. Please support this national fund raising and 10 Yr 9/11 Awareness effort and pass this link on. Contact Craig Freeman if you want to host a tour stop. Click this link to get your patches and decals: Order 9/11 Patches & Decals

LA County FD Station 8 Chooses the 9/11 Apparatus Decal

Captain Eric Kuck, a former New Yorker, contacted me a few weeks ago and asked if we were going to make a larger image of the 9/11 Patch decal for apparatus. 

It just so happened that the company that wrapped the FireCareers.com bus for the 9/11 Anniversary Manhattan to Manhattan Tour, had the image as it was used to cover the front of the bus prior to the tour. The company stepped up and created this commercial grade decal for us in the 8.5" X 11" size. Once these were ready to go, I contacted Eric and we met at his station today. The decal was first put on their Squad on the driver side and there are plans to place the decals on all apparatus--including a right sided version which insures the stars of the flag are leading and the strips trailing.

It always takes at least one individual to lead the charge to get this done--especially in such a large department--so thank you Captain Kuck!

The decals along with other patches, decals and full size flags are available here: 9/11 Patches-Decals

10 Yr 9/11 Anniversary Manhattan to Manhattan Tour

At noon on January 25th, 2011, the creators of the 9/11 Rose Float, recently featured in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade, passed the “WE WILL NEVER FORGET” torch to the FireCareers.com-9/11 Patch Project bus. Following a brief ceremony, the bus embarked on a 9 month U.S. tour to spread awareness of the 10 Year Anniversary of 9/11, recruit organizations to wear the 10 Yr 9/11 Patches and raise funds through the sale of 9/11 Patch Project merchandise. The net proceeds gathered from the sale of the special merchandise will be donated in Manhattan, on September 11th, 2011, to the FDNY Bravest Scholarship Fund, Terry Farrell Firefighters Fund and the Feal Good Foundation.

From Manhattan on the West Coast to Manhattan on the East Coast, the bus will make hundreds of stops along the way at fire departments, conventions and other special events to sell the 10 Year 9/11 Anniversary items. In addition to selling patches, decals and flags to raise funds, pictures will be taken at the various tour stops with hosting personnel and community supporters. Albums with pictures from all the stops will be prepared in an album that will be presented in Manhattan to the organizations listed above.

Contact FireCareers.com to have them make a stop at your department or event by using this email: craig@firecareers.com. You can purchase merchandise from the bus, ask them for an order form and flier or get them online now at this LINK. Your organization can also get your name on the bus through a sponsorship available at this LINK.

We will be adding items over the coming months so stay tuned to the site or newsletters. If you are not on the newsletter distribution, please go to the HOME PAGE and sign up so you are not left out on updates!

This 10 Year 9/11 Anniversary plan follows the successful 9-year run of the 9/11 Patch Project where over 6000 organizations in 22 countries have come forward to wear the patches or display the decals. 10’s of thousands of dollars have been raised and donated to 10 non-profit organizations. See where the funds are going today, by clicking this LINK:

FDNNTV.com 9/11 Patch Project 10 Year 9/11 Anniversary Story 2 (click link to view story)

The 9/11 Rose Float is entered into this coming Pasadena Tournament of Roses by L.A. County Firefighter Jerry Thomsen and is sponsored by the L.A. County Fireman's Health & Benefits Association.

The float will feature both of the 9/11 Patch Project's 10 Year 9/11 Anniversary Patches and is the first 9/11 Themed Float to ever be entered into the Rose Parade.

This 9/11 Tribute Float will mark the 1st day of the 10 Year Anniversary of 9/11 and pay tribute to all who were lost on that day. Family members of those who perished will also be riding on the float.

As this float ushers in the 10 Year Anniversary of 9/11 it is also the 9/11 Patch Projects goal to get these 10 Year tribute patches on all Fire, EMT, Police and Military uniforms throughout 2011.

Funds raised from the sale of patches will benefit the FDNY Bravest Scholarship Fund and the Terry Farrell Firefighters Fund.