Mary Ann Thomas – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Sep. 11—SHANKSVILLE, Pa. — Members of the Shanksville Volunteer Fire Department collapsed tables and chairs with pride and relief late Wednesday, after hosting the families of Flight 93, a current and a former U.S. president, and a vice president — two of whom are currently running for the nation’s highest office.
The rural fire station and emergency medical service serves a population just north of 3,000 people spread over 65 square miles.
These are the hardy volunteer firefighters who worked the plane crash in 2001 and have been hosting Flight 93 families ever since — feeding them and providing respite from somber 9/11 ceremonies.
The Shanksville company was the first to arrive after Flight 93 crashed. Its members extinguished a brushfire and, with chainsaws, cleared the perimeter for recovery operations.
They sprayed down dirt roads for government vehicles from an alphabet soup of federal agencies. Plus they made food and coffee runs to Pennsylvania State Police troopers and others who guarded the crash site.
“Because that plane crashed here, ‘podunk’ Shanksville today had the current president, the VP, and a former president, one of which will be the next president,” said Brad Shober, president of the fire company.
On Wednesday, President Joe Biden with Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, and former president and current GOP nominee Donald Trump all visited within an hour of each other.
It was Mr. Biden’s fifth visit and the first for Ms. Harris and Trump, according to the firefighters. Mr. Biden has visited as a vice president, as a presidential candidate, and as president.
Mr. Biden donned a Trump hat after bantering with an attendees at the department’s open house, in a show of bipartisan goodwill. Mr. Biden traded his hat with the presidential seal for the Trump hat.
“It was all done in fun,” said Bri Alianiello, EMS commander for the station.
They took photos of the moment.
Harris also met with families.
Trump also posed for photos.
“The day was awe-inspiring,” Ms. Alianiello said, although it was exhausting as there was only about a half hour between visits by the Republican and Democratic dignitaries.
“It was an honor to meet all of them,” said Jim Bent, the fire chief.
The fire company had been preparing for the open house as well as accommodating Secret Service agents who were doing their own advance work, Mr. Bent said.
This year, the Gary Sinise Foundation provided a catered meal, serving 150 to 200 dinners on Wednesday.
Plus, about 70 breakfast sandwiches were provided for law enforcement working 9/11 events.
Mr. Shober is one of only a handful of current firefighters who worked the plane crash.
The 9/11 memorial services occur roughly two months before Election Day, and over the years presidents, vice presidents and other dignitaries have made their way to the humble but spacious firetruck bays for comfort and a hot meal.
“It’s political, but it’s not political,” Mr. Shober said. “They were good enough today to come and not make it about the election.”
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