An Evansville Fire Department official says he was reminded of the 9/11 attacks when local firefighters trained inside Evansville’s tallest building.
EFD District Chief Mike Larson says the recent training in the soon-to-be-demolished 420 Main Building was a rare opportunity for high-rise training.
And he recalls a moment outside the building, when a low-flying plane passed over the city.
"It was interesting because there were like three or four of us standing there that are older firefighters that have been on the job for a little while and during 9/11. And we all looked up at it and all three or four of us looked at each other and paused for a minute."
Larson said local firefighters, like those who saved lives and lost their own on 9/11, always respond to the task at hand.
"If there was a fire in Evansville, Indiana on the 17th floor of the 420 Main St. Building, our firefighters would react exactly the same way just on a little bit smaller scale."
American flags have been flying on Evansville fire trucks since 9/11 and Larson said he can’t imagine them ever being removed.
He also said residents continue to show support for firefighters, 20 years after 343 New York firefighters died at the World Trade Center.
