Mark Millos, a former Ashfield firefighter who travelled to New York in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in 2001, helped establish the Gear Up Foundation as a living tribute to the firefighters who died.

The organisation helps firefighters throughout the world, for example, by providing firefighting equipment to the developing world and Mark has attended the memorial ceremony every year until now.

He told Chad: "Unfortunately, I was not able to get to New York this year because I had work and family commitments.

"I was asked by some of the firefighters I knew out there to write something that would be read out. I wasn't sure if I would be able to write anything."

Loved

But his 19-year-old daughter Jade-Emma, who is at Lincoln University, said she would write a poem and when she showed it to her father he loved it and sent it to America.

The words were read out in front of officers from the Fire Department of New York and guests Robert De Niro and Dennis Leary, who starred in Rescue Me, and Mark received a letter of thanks from the American firefighters.

And the poem has also been translated into Spanish and sent to Spain because of the large number of Hispanic people who died during the terrorist attacks.

Added Mark: "This is a living tribute to all those who gave their life. We have helped firefighters all over the world with our donations and I want to thank Frank Swann, who is Chief Fire Officer at Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue, for his support."

For more information on the organisation visit www.gearupfoundation.org.