Steel Across America: Tunnel to Towers Foundation Commemorates 25 Years Since 9/11 at the Frank Hotchkin Memorial Training Center in Los Angeles, California

The tour will next visit the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California 

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [June 30, 2026] — On Tuesday, June 30^th, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s ‘Steel Across America’ tour visited  

the Frank Hotchkin Memorial Training Center in Los Angeles, California. 

For the 21^st stop on a nationwide tour in honor of the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Steel Across America brought a steel beam recovered from the World Trade Center to Los Angeles, offering members of the Los Angeles Fire Department and local community a rare and deeply personal opportunity to experience this sacred artifact firsthand.  

In a departure from the tour’s traditional ceremonial procession, the event opened with a powerful and fitting tribute: members of the FDNY Ceremonial Unit and the Los Angeles Fire Department standing at salute as the transport truck opened to reveal the steel beam, a solemn moment that set the tone for the morning’s proceedings. 

The ceremony was hosted by Joe LaPointe, Tunnel to Towers board member, who welcomed guests and led the ceremonial kickoff. The program featured a Color Guard presentation and Pipes & Drums procession by the LAFD Honor Guard & Pipe and Drums, accompanied by the FDNY Ceremonial Unit. Firefighter Dennis Rodriguez of the LAFD performed the national anthem. Chaplain George Negrete then delivered the invocation and blessing of the steel, followed by a moment of silent reflection accompanied by a performance of Amazing Grace by the Pipes & Drums, before the colors were retired. 

LaPointe then introduced John LaBarbera, Tunnel to Towers Foundation Founder and Board Member and Retired FDNY Battalion Commander, who delivered remarks on the meaning of the Steel Across America tour and the significance of bringing the World Trade Center beam to one of the nation’s leading fire training facilities — a place that stands as a daily reminder of the courage and commitment that defines the fire service. 

LAFD Chief Jaime Moore then addressed the crowd, speaking to the significance of welcoming Steel Across America to the Frank Hotchkin Memorial Training Center and the bond between the Los Angeles Fire Department and the New York City firefighters who gave their lives on September 11, 2001. Chief Moore’s remarks underscored the shared values of courage, sacrifice, and service that unite fire departments across the country. 

Stephen Siller Jr., son of fallen FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller, was then introduced to the stage with an FDNY Ceremonial Push-in: a moving tribute that drew the crowd into a profound moment of reflection and respect. He then delivered remarks honoring his father’s legacy and the mission that has carried the Steel Across America tour to communities across the country. 

“There is something so powerful about bringing this steel here — to a place where firefighters train, where they prepare, where they commit themselves to running toward danger so that others can be safe from it,” said Stephen Siller Jr., son of fallen FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller. “That is exactly what my father did on September 11. That is what 343 members of the FDNY did. Steel Across America is our promise to never let their sacrifice be forgotten, and there is no more fitting place to make that promise than right here.” 

As part of the ceremonial proceedings, Stephen Siller Jr. invited LAFD Chief Jaime Moore to join him at the front of the stage for the steel flag presentation, accompanied by the FDNY. LaBarbera explained the significance of the commemorative steel flag from the stage: a custom-built tribute featuring the New York City skyline with the Twin Towers standing tall, incorporating World Trade Center steel, presented only to those who demonstrate honorable dedication to the work and mission of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. The flag was received by Chief Moore on behalf of the Los Angeles Fire Department before LaBarbera returned to the stage to deliver closing remarks. 

The steel is an everlasting reminder of the selfless courage and service of first responders who gave their lives on September 11, 2001, including New York City firefighter Stephen Siller. Recovered from Ground Zero in the days following the attacks by the thousands of first responders who answered the call, the beam stands as a symbol of sacrifice, resilience, and the unbreakable American spirit that emerged from tragedy. 

On Wednesday, July 1st, Steel Across America will make its next official stop at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.