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CNN Live At Daybreak

New York Firefighters Honored in Texas

Aired March 04, 2002 - 05:57   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: America said one big thank you to New York City firefighters this weekend, two hundred firefighters from The Big Apple visited cities across the country as part of a national campaign to show appreciation for their work at ground zero after the September 11 attacks.

Pam Harris of our affiliate station WFAA reports on a firefighter honored in Texas.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAM HARRIS, WFAA-TV REPORTER (voice-over): This isn't a routine flight pattern over the joint reserve base in Fort Worth. Inside, a hero sees firsthand how the troops overseas are fighting terrorism.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It kind of gives you a, you know, sense of feeling what it's all about and what the men and women of the military go through day in and day out.

HARRIS: A cold day but a warm welcome for New York City firefighter Sal Sciascia who was called to duty that fateful September day.

SAL SCIASCIA, NEW YORK CITY FIREFIGHTER: We were hurting a little bit, but the rest of the country kind of brought us up a little bit.

HARRIS: The 301st fighter wing really brought them up.

LT. COL. WILLIAM SCHAUFFERT, U.S. AIR FORCE: He wanted to do more. We were up there, we were doing airline rolls (ph) and emomins (ph) and loops and a couple of simulated bombing runs and he loved it, he had a great time.

HARRIS: But there was much more to this ceremony.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the Korean War, Vietnam and Gulf wars, colorful and inspirational images appeared again on American military aircraft.

HARRIS: This time honoring America's spirit and the phrase let's roll, which is what passenger Todd Beamer said just moments before he and others took on the hijackers of United Flight 93.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They made us proud and hopefully this will carry on their memory.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it perfectly defines our attitude of hey, we're not going to sit around anymore and let things like this happen to us. We're going to respond and respond hard and fast.

JENINE SCIASCIA, FIREFIGHTER'S WIFE: And it shows the people all around the world that America can come through anything.

HARRIS: A simple reminder of the heroes of 9/11 who didn't let evil stand in their way.

SCIASCIA: It's unfortunate that it took a tragedy like this to kind of bring us closer together. But if anything good came out of it, I would say that's what came out of it.

HARRIS (on camera): In order to preserve the meaning behind let's roll, this emblem won't stay on the fighter forever. It'll come off September 11 of 2002.

Pam Harris, Channel 8 News.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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