Fire house chili and more

Those Sept. 11, 2001, videos of the World Trade Center towers collapsing still have the power to shock. They are surreal and I find them hard to watch, considering how many lives were being lost.

In East Manatee, the day that changed the course of world history is being remembered in several ways.

East Manatee Fire Rescue, for the third year, will hold a 9/11 remembrance ceremony 9 a.m. Friday at Manatee Technical Institute’s campus at Lakewood Ranch. Firefighters will symbolically reenact the fire and subsequent collapse. The ceremony ends with helmets being placed at the base of the school flagpole in honor of those who died. The flag will be lowered to half staff by students, and a patriotic song will be played, ending the ceremony.

Tim Hyden, training officer for East Manatee Fire Rescue, says a C-130 cargo plane is scheduled to make a flyover near the end of the service.

On Saturday at 3 p.m., Main Street at Lakewood Ranch will host a Chili Cook-Off to benefit Manatee County Fire and Rescue.

Fire departments around the county will seek chili bragging rights. Also planned, two bands, fire trucks and rescue vehicles lining the streets.

Beer and food sale proceeds will go toward the Tribute to Heroes Emergency Services Memorial Fund.

For more, see Sara Kennedy's story in Friday's Herald.

Jim