KFD Honor Guard continues to honor fallen 25 years after 9/11

KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) – First responders banded together in the aftermath of 9/11 and one way the Kingsport Fire Department did that was by starting its own Honor Guard. 'The fire service is a brother and sisterhood and doesn't matter where it's at in the United States or in the world; we always like to look out for our own and try to take care of each other,' said Captain Jerry Reed. 'We did actually have a few members of the fire department go to New York immediately following 911 to help with those recovery efforts. So we do sort of have a personal tie to that.' The group honors members of the fire department and other volunteer agencies at their funerals. 'Their first event that they did was the 911 ceremony in 2002. So we have done several of those over the years,' said Reed. 'And then we also help out with other events throughout the community at different churches and different organizations.' The honor guard is made up of a dozen people in the Kingsport Fire Department. 'Different departments have different ways they do that bell ceremony. But we ring the bell in honor of the service of the members that have gone on before us,' he said. 'We will fold the flag and present the flag and the helmet to the families and family members. We will also stand guard at the funeral home for those fallen members.' 25 years later, its core mission is still true. 'It still has an impact as far as emphasizing the brotherhood and the sisterhood and taking care of each other,' he said.