Local Firefighters Plant a Flag for Their Brothers Who Fell on 9/11

The Menlo Park Fire Protection District and the Menlo Park  Firefighters Association will this weekend continue their annual display of  343 flags in front of several fire stations in honor of the firefighters lost  in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Each of the small flags that will be planted in front of four of  the district's seven stations will be adorned with the name of one of the 343  New York City Fire Department firefighters who died in the tragedy nine years  ago, according to a statement from the district.

The flags are meant to unite rescue workers and emergency  responders nationwide under the theme "we will never forget," the statement  said.

That undying sense of camaraderie among firefighters was clearly  shown Friday and Thursday as emergency responders came from miles away to  help extinguish a roaring fire that torched a San Bruno neighborhood after a  high-pressure PG&E gas line exploded.

"It does reinforce that meaning," said Chief Harold Schapelhouman  of the Menlo Park Fire Protection District, who himself was not relieved from  the San Bruno fire site until about 3:30 p.m. today.

"There's a bond between all firefighters based on the danger we  face and the service we provide to the community," Schapelhouman said. "We're  running in when the public's running out."

The flags will be displayed in front of the district's Station 1  at 300 Middlefield Road in Menlo Park, Station 2 at 2290 University Ave. in  East Palo Alto, Station 4 at 3322 Alameda de las Pulgas in Menlo Park and  Station 6 at 700 Oakgrove Ave. in Menlo Park.

An oversized American flag will also be on display at a former  auto dealership at 444 El Camino Real to commemorate the ninth anniversary of  the attacks, the statement said.

That building - which was once Auto Row and has since been  abandoned - was donated to the district for use as a training center by  Stanford Properties, the statement said.