Beam from World Trade Center coming to Fort Collins

A 5-foot long, 3,000-pound piece of U.S. history will soon call Fort Collins home.

Poudre Fire Authority will take possession next week of one of the last available pieces of the World Trade Center during a ceremony with representatives from New York City-area emergency crews. Four PFA firefighters involved in the Sept. 11, 2001, rescue efforts will then make a cross-country journey with the beam and an escort of more than 100 emergency services agencies, PFA wrote in a news release.

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The local crew will use their own vacation time while on the trip to bring the beam to Fort Collins.

Ceremonies are planned across the country as the beam passes through dozens of towns. Updates on how the trip is progressing and pictures from the journey will be shared at www.poudre-fire.org/what-s-new/wtc-artifact-journey. A map will be updated on the half hour as they travel. The trip can also be tracked on social media using #PoudreFireWTCBeam. People along the route can upload photos to www.yogile.com/poudrefirewtcbeam or text them to poudrefirewtcbeam@yogile.com.

All of that leads up to the Oct. 24 ceremony in Fort Collins, when the beam will be placed at one of PFA's fire stations.

Additional details are expected in coming days.

The Terry Farrell Firefighters Fund, along with multiple local fundraising efforts, made the beam acquisition possible. For additional information or to donate, go to www.terryfund.org.

Reporter Jason Pohl covers breaking news for the Coloradoan. Follow him on Twitter: @pohl_jason.