DANVILLE, Va. – A Danville firefighter who responded to the 9/11 attack in New York City said it is something he will never forget.
Capt. Billy Scearce was supposed to be on vacation the week of the attack, celebrating his 40th birthday.
But upon hearing about the attack, the local firefighters union asked for volunteers to go to New York City and help.
Scearce and a few others volunteered. Scearce recalls spending his entire week of vacation working from 5 a.m. to midnight every day.
On Monday morning, a 9/11 memorial ceremony was held at the Danville Fire Department headquarters.
Outside the station is a memorial with a piece of steel from one of the World Trade Center towers.
Scearce picked the piece out himself and said he was honored to have the opportunity.
"It's a reminder of the tragedy, but it's also a reminder of the 343 brothers, that we consider brothers in the fire service, of their loss doing the same job that we do here," Scearce said.
Scearce also emphasized that the fire department is one of only a few in the country to have a piece of World Trade Center steel on display.