Yuma community gathers to mark 20th anniversary of 9/11

Both community members and first responders came together to commemorate the event - Luis Lopez reports

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA,KECY) - With Saturday marking 20 years since the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, both Yuma first responders and the community came together today to honor those lost on that day.

Members of the community came to show their support for first responders, and first responders took action to recognize those who sacrificed their lives that day.

Some members of Yuma Fire Department ran up flights of stairs and down 4th avenue in their full gear.
As they do yearly to honor Stephen Siller, a New York firefighter who was off duty when the attacks happened, but still grabbed his gear and ran three miles to the World Trade Center.

Brandon case, a captain with YFD, says he ran simply because it was an honor


“You know when it first happened, everybody said 'we’ll never forget' and you know for as long as we’re gonna be around we cannot forget this," Case said.

"Its an honor to do these things in other peoples memory.”


For Mike Erfert, the public information officer for YFD, he believes that events like Saturday's are what can help to bring the country together.


“Things have gotten pretty divided in this country and maybe that reminder that, we can be a very great country when we’re all together on something, and this is something that we should be together on,” Erfert said.