Tassie firie runs to mark 9/11

DANIELLE McKAY   |   September 12, 2010 08.52am

PHYSICAL exhaustion, 45C heat and a hurricane tested the endurance of Tasmanian firefighter Steven Percival on his epic run across the US to commemorate the victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Today, the Hobart Fire Station officer and 16 other Aussie firies will reach the World Trade Centre's Ground Zero site in New York on the ninth anniversary of the attacks.

Mr Percival told the Sunday Tasmanian yesterday emotions were high among the runners.

"My emotions have just been brewing stronger and stronger the closer we get," he said. "We've visited the Pentagon and that hit pretty hard, but it won't compare to being on Ground Zero for the anniversary."

The Aussies and 20 US colleagues have taken almost a month to make the 7400km run from Los Angeles to New York.

Mr Percival said he wanted to take part in the gruelling challenge to ensure that the story was not lost in the pages of history.

"The whole idea is to make sure we remember 9/11, the people who lost their lives and the emergency workers' remarkable work," he said.

"It really hits home why we're firefighters. It's about helping people, it's what we do."

Mr Percival said the run had been harder than expected, with each individual running for six hours in every 24-hour period.

He said most had suffered blisters and exhaustion. Some had collapsed.

However, he said there had also been many great memories along the way, including the hilarious response from Americans when he donned the costume of Looney Tunes character Taz the Tasmanian devil.

"I ran the first 6km leg in Santa Monica in the full suit. It was so hot, but people just went mad and it's amazing how many people know of Tasmania because of this crazy cartoon character," he said.

(themercury.com)