Altus AFB remembers 11th Anniversary of 9/11 attacks

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kenneth W. Norman
  • 97th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  The 97th Civil Engineer Squadron fire department conducted a final alarm ceremony known as The Four Fives or The Last Alarm at the base fire department, Sept. 11, 2012 to honor the 343 firefighters who lost their lives Sept. 11, 2001.

"Look at the 343 people who ran inside those buildings - where do you find anybody in the world that will run into danger while everyone else is running out?" said Paul Pitrat, 97th CES fire department chief. "It takes a different person to be able to do that. These guys here are ready to do that every day."

A group of firefighters from the 97th CES told Pitrat they wanted to have the Last Alarm ceremony.

"The guys came to me and said 'we want to do this chief,' so I told them I would take care of anything that got in their way," Pitrat said. "We are a small community and everyone pitched in to help."

During the ceremony the Last Alarm was sounded, the Fire Fighter's Prayer was read, an American flag was folded, and Col. Anthony Krawietz, 97th Air Mobility Wing commander, commented on how Sept. 11, 2001 shaped many lives and future generations of Airmen.

"They wanted perfection," Pitrat said. "They came in four or five days in a row, late at night practicing. They wanted to be spot on and they were. I think they did a wonderful job."

"It motivates me to know that there were 343 fire fighters who gave everything," said Airman 1st Class Jonathan Kidd, 97th CES firefighter. "They went into those buildings knowing that there was a good chance that they weren't coming out."

The 97th Air Mobility Wing also performed a retreat ceremony in remembrance of all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice while defending this country since 9/11.