Henderson firefighters remember Sept. 11 with 343-mile bike trip

By Jeremy Twitchell

Friday, Sept. 11, 2009 | 2:38 p.m.

A trio of Henderson firefighters is on a 343-mile bicycle trek through Southern Nevada and California today -- riding one mile for every New York firefighter who died in the Sept. 11 attacks eight years ago.

The three men -- Scott Dakus, Tim Veit, and Chris Alvarez -- left from Fire Station #82 at Warm Springs and Parkson roads in Henderson at midnight last night on their trip, which will take them through Searchlight to California -- through Nipton, Baker and Dunes -- then through Pahrump and before they finish at The District at Green Valley Ranch tonight at about 7 p.m.

Henderson Fire Battalion Chief Jeff Lytle said the Henderson Fire Department shares a link with the New York Fire Department through Alvarez, whose brother is a firefighter in New York. Many Henderson firefighters and staffers went back to New York for the funerals of their comrades died in the attacks, Lytle said.

The idea for the commemorative trek began a couple years ago, Lytle said.

Last year, riders had a sponsor and the ride took place at the Las Vegas Speedway.

This year, however, with the Speedway unavailable and sponsors a little more difficult to come by, Lytle said the three riders are paying for the trip out of their own pocket.

“They felt it was necessary to continue the tradition, so they mapped out a course and went for it,” Lytle said.

CORRECTION: The story was updated to reflect that the firefighters traveled by bicycle, not motorcycle. | (September 14, 2009)