Local Firefighters Take Part in Tunnel to Towers Run

Firefighters from throughout the South Fork boarded a bus early on Sunday to travel to Brooklyn Sunday for the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers run/walk in honor of a firefighter who lost his life on 9/11.

"It is a great foundation and our members are proud to be a part of the run," Southampton Fire Department Second Assistant Chief Chris Brenner said.

The Sag Harbor Fire Department and North Sea Fire Department also sent participants.

Siller was a member of the FDNY who died in the Twin Towers on 9/11. He had just finished a shift at Squad 1, Park Slope, Brooklyn when he learned the first plane hit the World Trade Center. He went back to the firehouse to get his gear and drove into the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, which was already closed to traffic. With 60 pounds of gear strapped to his back, he ran through the tunnel, toward the burning buildings.

The Tunnel To Towers Run is a tribute to Siller's heroism, as well as all 343 firefighters and first responders who died on 9/11. A foundation in Siller's name uses funds raised for “In the Line of Duty” programs for firefighters, first responders, and military and “Legacy of Love” programs to help children who have lost one or both parents. Funds also support the NYC Firefighter Burn Center Foundation and burn centers throughout the country.