Portland Fire & Rescue will hold a rose planting ceremony that will be conducted by the Royal Rosarians at Portland Fire Station 24 (located at 4515 N. Maryland) on Thursday, July 14th from 11:30am-12:00pm to dedicate the "Firefighter" rose. The naming of "Firefighter" was facilitated by Sue Casey - founder and president of "Remember Me" Rose Garden to honor firefighters who were lost their lives in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

According to Casey, "When I met Lt. Bob Jackson from Engine 54, Ladder 4, Battalion 9 on 48th & 8th streets in Mid-Town Manhattan on February 16, 2002 he told me he wanted a red rose to name "Firefighter". Not only for the 15 guys from his house who died on September 11th, but for all 343 firefighters lost that day."

The "Firefighter" rose has won Best Hybrid Tea and Most Fragrant at Portland's Best Rose Show in 2006 and also Portland's Gold Medal Award in 2007 . It can be found at the Portland Rose Garden in Washington Park, and now at 20 Portland Fire stations.

Each of the 20 Portland Fire and Rescue stations will receive the "Firefighter" rose bush to be planted at their respective station.

Attending the planting ceremony will be Fire Chief John Klum, Chief Scott Fisher, Commissioner Randy Leonard, "Remember Me" Rose Garden's Sue Casey, and Prime Minister, Ray Hanson, as well as Portland Royal Rosarians.

"Remember Me" Rose Garden was created by Casey as a living tribute to honor the lives of those lost in the attacks against America on September 11, 2001. The goal of the nonprofit organization is to create three gardens near the sites of the attack; New York City, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

   Portland Fire & Rescue 

   We Respond: Always Ready, Always There

   July 14, 2011 

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