Firefighters On Bike Ride To Mark 20th Anniversary Of 9/11 On Approach To New York
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Firefighters on a bike ride across the country to honor the 20th anniversary of 9/11 are in their final stretch of their journey.
Members of the Fire Velo Club, which includes firefighters from the Los Angeles County Fire Department, rode out from the Santa Monica Pier on Aug. 1. This week, they are on the final stretch of their 4-day, 3,300-mile journey to New York.
"I think we want to get it done. We want to get to Ground Zero, that place that pays tribute to all those lost," said Buck Buchanan, a retired battalion chief and Fire Velo vice president.
More than 400 members of FDNY and NYPD have lost their lives from post-9/11 illnesses, and the group also wants to raise awareness of the firefighters who are still living with health problems likely caused from exposure at Ground Zero.
The group is hoping to raise $100,000 to donate to firefighter-related charities.