The group that motor homed it to Colorado Springs to join Jay, with Jay - Wayne McAdam, Jim Dunn, Jay, Joe Nurre, Pat.  I am taking the picture, so I'm not in it.

Firemen prior to the service

Firemen with flags to be presented look for fallen firefighter's family to receive the flags

The memorial with the US and Canadian flags flying between hook and ladder trucks

Bagpipers warm up prior to the service

Many people used paper and writing utensils to make a shaded copy of their loved one's name as etched in the memorial

Colorado Springs Police Honor Guard practicing for the 21-gun salute.  

The traditional ringing of the bells was done on two bells, here's one of them

My brother, Lt./Paramedic John E. Coburn, VP of Associated Firefighters Of Matteson (IL), Local 3086.  Standing to his left is my other brother Patrick Coburn.  From here on out they'll be Pat and Jay.

A better shot of Jay

Part of Honor Guard standing near bells

Hundreds of motorcycles arrive at the service

Spectators lined the roads to see the motorcycles arrive

After the motorcycles, there was a procession of fire trucks/engines/rigs of all sorts

The oldest fire "rig" in the procession

Crowd shot

There were two big screens helping people to see.  Master of Ceremonies Michael McNeill, IAFF 9th District Vice President

Presentation of the colors, by IAFF Honor Guards from the US and Canada

There was a flyover by the USAF, a C-130, which was used to fight fires that ravaged more than 100,000 acres of Colorado in 2002

Honor Guard presenting colors

Members of the IAFF Honor Guard

As the Honor Guard marches in with their flags from various states, the big screen shows the US and Canadian Flags

The Wreath to be presented at the Memorial

Bagpipers on the big screen

The wreath on the big screen, with the hook and ladder bearing the US and Canadian flags

The names of the fallen were displayed on the big screen as an announcer read them off.  The names of the fallen from the World Trade Center took 19 minutes.

The crowd was so large, they had a second set of Taps players halfway back

Firefighters salute their fallen brethren.

Lt. Coburn at attention alongside the Union seal and the sitting fireman memorial

Members of the color guard by the IAFF seal after the service

Unknown firefighter poses with child alongside the Union seal

The Memorial depicts a firefighter carrying a child down a ladder

A wider shot

Another angle

The IAFF wreath after placement at the Memorial

That's me on the left, Jay in the middle, and Pat on the right

That evening, a several square block area of Colorado Springs was closed to traffic to allow the firefighters a chance to unwind after the emotional service

Jay and Pat with a couple yards of unwinding "juice" each

Me, Fireman Bob Lanz of Oak Lawn Professional Firefighters Assoc. Local 3405, Wayne, Joe, Jay, Pat and Jim

The gentleman in the black shirt is IAFF General President Harold A. Schaitberger

That's IAFF Pres. Schaitberger in the middle of the crowd at a pub named Jack Quinn's.

A closer shot

Video Files

Bagpipers warm up (not very tuneful), includes a shot of the flags waving from the hook and ladder

Motorcycle procession - It was a very moving tribute. YOU only get about 30 seconds, but imagine this - this procession lasted so long my brother-in-law Wayne said he videotaped some, went into the store and bought smokes, came out and videotaped a little more, smoked a cigarette, then videotaped some more. 

Fire engine procession, another long, moving tribute

Crowd shot, audio of bagpipers is better

Video Files

NY Pipe and Drum Band plays "You're a Grand Old Flag" during tribute to fallen, pipers can be seen on big screen in background

All pipers play together during recessional

Bagpipers and drums at night in downtown Colorado Springs.  Dark video, but you may notice a flag flying overhead, and there's a second where a camera flash goes off. The main reason to watch this dark video is to hear the pipers.

More bagpipers and drums at night downtown.  This one is hard to see too, but it's worth it just to hear the pipes.