Stoney Bowles has been through a lot in his 31 years as a firefighter. He has been involved in his share of saves, had great comradery with his peers and, since taking over as chief in Covington, has led a group of men and women who share his values.

However all that pales in comparison to a recent day, Bowles told the Covington City Council Monday.

“I’ve been a firefighter for almost 31 years now, and I don’t know if I’ve ever been more proud to be a firefighter than I was that day,” he said.

That day was the day when Tim Martin, Matt Bruno and Johnathan Fuqua brought a piece of steel from the World Trade Center towers that were attacked on Sept. 11, 2001.

During the city council meeting Bowles, Martin, Bruno and Fuqua presented a piece of steel with four pieces of rebar and concrete attached to it that serves as a reminder of the dedication, service and sacrifice of New York Firefighters on 9/11.
That piece of steel was given to the Covington Fire Department by members of the Fire Department of the city of New York (FDNY) as a way for firefighters and Americans to remember that day.

Fire departments around the country had a chance to get a piece of steel from the World Trade Center by sending a letter of request to the FDNY. After taking over as chief in Covington, Bowles wanted to get a steel remnant from the FDNY, and wrote a letter to its commissioner. That same day he received an email saying there were only about 30 pieces left for the entire country.

Three weeks later, Bowles heard that Covington had been selected to receive one of those pieces.

The Covington Fire Department then decided to have a special box built to bring it down from New York. Martin and fellow Covington firefighter Evan McAvoy constructed the wood box, with words burned into the wood that read “Never Forget — 343—9-11-01.”

With a carrying case in hand, the trio of Martin, Fuqua and Bruno were set for New York but had no way to get there.

Covington Fire Marshall Tony Smith had called companies who had airplanes at the Covington Regional Airport but no one had a plane headed to New York at that time.

However, Bob Standridge of Standridge Color Corp. of Social Circle called him back.

“He said ‘Hey, as I much as I want to help you out, I have one plane down and one plane otherwise spoken for,’” Smith said. “He said, ‘what will it take to fly you out there.’ It was over $300 a ticket, so we were talking over $1,000. He said, ‘I want to help you so much.’ So he paid for the tickets.”

Martin, Fuqua and Bruno then took the box and flew from Atlanta , with a layover in Charlotte, where the box had to be checked. The box survived the flight and the Covington trio was welcomed with open arms by the FDNY.

“They took us in like we were New York firefighters,” Fuqua said. “We trained with them, hopped in the truck and went to lunch with them, and were treated like royalty.

“I know our department and several departments in the South have a great working relationship,” he said. “But the guys up there, they really have a bond.”

On the way back to Covington, Bruno said the box wasn’t required to be checked, and the trio was given special treatment for having such precious cargo.

“9/11, 2001 was the most terrible day of my life,” Fuqua said. “We were fortunate enough to get a piece of steel.”

The steel piece then came back to Covington on Oct. 8, and will soon go on display at the Covington Fire Department’s Station 21, located at 2101 Pace Street.