Copperas Cove H-E-B honors local first responders on 9/11

By PAMELA GRANT

Cove Leader-Press

In 2005, H-E-B founded Helping Heroes which was started on their 100th anniversary and asks departments give back to local fire departments and first responders. 

Each year, thousands of H-E-B partners volunteer their time and efforts to show their support. 

This year, Copperas Cove H-E-B plus!’s Administrative Assistant Jennifer Cotter and General Manager Elias Ferris along with several other employees cooked up chicken and beef in store and brought supplies to treat Copperas Cove firefighters to chicken and beef fajitas with a variety of tasty toppings. They provided drinks and cookies for dessert.

Cotter said that they feel its important that they continue to honor and remember the firefighters on 9/11. 

They brought tacos to the police department for breakfast Wednesday as well.

 H-E-B holds events throughout the year that support firefighters, police officers, and other first responders as well.

“It’s important to support our first responders,” said Cotter. “When we need help, they don’t hesitate to come, so we want to make sure that we’re there in turn thanking them for everything that they do. It’s not only just today. We appreciate them throughout the whole year.”

“They’re the unsung heroes,” said Ferris.

Fire Chief Gary Young said that the firefighters really appreciate their partnership with H-E-B.

“H-E-B is active in every community that they’re in and they care. They don’t have to. They WANT to,” said Chief Young. “It’s a choice, and it means a ton that they choose to do this…When we as a society do something because we want to, it really bolsters the meaning.”

He added that it’s true of all of the firefighters in his department as well. They all choose to do what they do.

“All of my firefighters are the best,” said Chief Young. “They’re good people and they’re dedicated to our community.

For Chief Young, it’s especially important to remember the events of 9/11 even though their department employs several firefighters who weren’t even born at the time the tragic events unfolded.

“There was a moment in history that some of us observed. We saw what happened and it’s important for us to not lose the memory of those who did lose their lives. We don’t need to let that go,” said Fire Chief Gary Young. “It’s important to remind the newer generations about those who came before and to memorialize what they did.”

Fire Chief Gary Young is the sole remaining firefighter who was on active duty at the Copperas Cove Fire Department at the time of 9/11. 

He recalled that that day they were holding a fire department entrance exam. They had the television on while they were waiting for the exam to begin, and everything began to unfold in front of them.

“There were a lot of emotions and feelings,” said Chief Young. He said they had a discussion and made the decision that even though it was tragic and horrific, they would turn the televisions off and start the tests anyway.

“We opted to do what fire departments are supposed to do, and we carried on,” said Fire Chief Young. “It wasn’t that we didn’t care, we just had to carry on.”