NEW YORK, Oct. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Thousands of members of the
International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) are preparing to march in
procession up 8th Avenue to a memorial service held in Madison Square Garden
in honor of the 343 New York fire fighters lost in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks
on the World Trade Center.
    The ceremony will also honor the other members of the Fire Department of
New York (FDNY) killed in the line of duty since the FDNY's last Memorial
Service in October 2000. The IAFF contributed more than $2 million to make
this service possible.
    "This memorial service is a fitting tribute to our fallen fire fighters
and to the families who have sacrificed so much," said IAFF General President
Harold A. Schaitberger. "It is the hope of our 255,000 members, including the
fire fighters and fire officers of FDNY, that we can help bring some comfort
to the families."
    The ceremony -- which is being planned and coordinated by FDNY, the City
of New York and the IAFF -- will include an honor guard of 356 IAFF members,
each bearing American flags representing the fallen FDNY firefighters.
Schaitberger will lead the two-mile long procession, joined by FDNY and other
firefighter pipes and drums units. An additional 356 IAFF honor guards bearing
flags will line the second tier of the Garden throughout the ceremony.
    "Our members are here in droves to support their New York brothers and
sisters," Schaitberger continued. "We stand together in the best of times and
the worst of times, and tomorrow morning the world will see how united the
IAFF is."
    Speakers at the service will include Schaitberger, New York Governor
George Pataki, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and other officials.
Senators Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer will also attend. While FDNY
families and members gather inside the Garden, thousands of other IAFF members
will view the event via Jumbotron video monitors.
    The IAFF has more than 2,700 local affiliates representing fire fighters
in more than 5,000 cities, counties, and fire districts. The 255,000 members
of the IAFF are the nation's full-time professional fire fighters and
paramedics, who protect 80 percent of the nation's population.

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