On Sept. 11, at 8:46 a.m., the Highlands Police Department and Highlands Fire and Rescue Department are coming together to walk a total of 3,009 steps; 2,996 to honor the first responders of 9/11, plus 13 to honor the Marines that were killed last month in Afghanistan.
Highlands volunteer firefighter, EMT and Highlands Wine Shoppe owner Davis Picklesimer said the departments decided to come together for this event to recognize those first responders that lost their lives during the attack on the Twin Towers 20 years ago.
“There has been a lot of bickering and small sidedness in this town lately,” Picklesimer said. “We felt like we need to honor those that went up the stairs on that day because they are symbolic to us.”
20 years ago, Picklesimer said he remembers exactly where he was when the towers went down; in Alabama doing finance.
“Doing finance was actually one of my struggles of that day,” Picklesimer said. “I was struggling at that state of my life as a man and as a person designated as ‘successful,’ I realized that I would probably not have climbed up those stairs. For me personally, not only was it horrific that it happened, but it was also horrific for me internally, as well. My father was in the firefighting world for 20 years up here. So, when I moved back, I decided to serve the area, as well.”
Picklesimer said others are also invited to attend and participate in the walk, but for the first responders, the walk is for them.
“All during COVID, during any event, we still have to show up,” Picklesimer said. “This is our way of saying, ‘We remember and thank you for those that gave their life that day.’ It could have been any one of us. So, it is really for us to walk and to take that moment to honor those that climbed those stairs.”
Not everyone is called to become a first responder, which is why Love said the walk is for the first responders.
“We are so fortunate that we live in a small town where on most of the calls people are so appreciative,” Love said. “They thank us for waking up in the middle of the night, leaving our businesses in the afternoon or leaving our families. We are fortunate for that small town concept that there is a great deal of appreciation that we receive for doing this.”
The fire department has started a new pilot program called Aftercare, where first responders can help with the trauma a victim may experience during an incident.
“Chief Gearhart and assistant chief Forrester have been so supportive of this program,” Love said. “With this program, we go after the event and offer our services to help them process what they are going through.”
The extra 13 steps will be for the Marines that died overseas in Afghanistan last month. Love said veterans usually become first responders after they have served, which is why they want to honor those soldiers that died.
“With the current events being so recent, we felt like we needed to honor them, as well,” Love said. “9/11 did not stop on 9/11. There are a number of people that gave their life on 9/11, but the 13 were so recent, we wanted to honor them.”
The event will begin at 8:46 a.m., on Saturday, Sept. 11, at Kelsey Hutchinson Founders Park.
- By Christopher Smith