Published 17 Aug, 2015
… And TWU’s members, working together across divisions, made it happen.
Last week, a cherished artifact from the World Trade Center made its way from New York to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida where it will be put on display at the KSC fire station.
The artifact, a 7-foot-long, nearly one-ton steel beam, was recovered from the rubble of the Twin Towers after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
What started as small project for TWU Local 525’s President and IEC Member Kevin Smith soon became an undertaking that brought together members, officers and staff from across the entire union. The mission? To move the treasured piece from JFK cargo, to Philadelphia, to Miami, and finally to central Florida, where the fire fighters at the space center had built a memorial to display the beam and honor the sacrifices made on 9/11. After weeks of building, planning and coordinating, and countless hours constructing crates, organizing logistics and arranging for nearly every mode of transport imaginable, TWU successfully managed to move not only the beam, but dozens of officers, staff and media alongside it to document the journey. It was a truly unforgettable week.
At the start of the journey at JFK, International Vice President Sean Doyle spoke on behalf of International President Harry Lombardo, whose vision for TWU was demonstrated throughout the remarkable process.
“All of us working together toward a common goal—as a union—has truly materialized today, with all TWU divisions coming together to make this incredible piece of history part of the TWU story,” he said.
Among the TWU locals involved were Local 1400 Vice President Patrick Reynolds and Chairman Pete Vegas, as well as TWU International Vice President and Local 100 Vice President Curtis Tate, alongside the Local 100 Honor Guard. Members of Local 1400 and Local 100 were called in as first responders on the day of the attacks. TWU Local 501 Executive Vice President Angelo Cucuzza and Title II members from both facility and automotive maintenance coordinated the logistics for the artifact’s New York send-off and created the shipping container and dedicated tug and dolly to transport the steel itself.
During the second leg of the journey, TWU Locals 504 and 591 met the truck at Philadelphia International Airport to load the steel beam on its flight to Miami. On hand to receive the artifact in Miami were members of Local 525 and its President, Kevin Smith. Joining Local 525 were members and officers from Locals 568 and 591 who were tasked with offloading and escorting the beam to Miami Cargo.
The final leg of the trip to the Kennedy Space Center was a solemn one. Firefighters and families stopped by the side of the road to honor the artifact and the lost lives it represents.
Honoring our nation and our past, celebrating our amazing members, and working together—that’s TWU: United. Invincible.
Stay tuned for additional video footage from the week-long journey, and check out the hashtag on Twitter and Facebook for more photos: #kscfdmemorial.