Beverly firefighter and Danvers resident John Salvanelli will ride down to the ten year anniversary of September 11 in New York City on his Special Edition 9/11 Harley Davidson, a bike only firefighters could order.

Salvenelli, a Danvers resident for 30 years, and Beverly firefighter for 27, is president of the Red Knights, Mass. Chapter 14. 

Salvanelli recalls that sunny day in September of 2001, working on his uncle's house when he was told to come inside to see the news. Once Salvanelli watched the images he said, "do you have any idea how many firefighters just got killed? Nobody grasped it."

Immediately following, the Beverly firefighters got together and drove down to New York with 343 bronze firefighter helmets, made by Brian Tamillio at Hubon Foundry in Salem. 

"We were there a week or two after it happened," he recalled. "We could see all the buildings, there was still smoke coming up. It's like nothing I've ever seen; it reminded me of watching news reels of WWII."

While in New York, Salvenelli and his fellow firefighters attended funeral services and he noted the hospitality that everyone in New York granted to him and his brothers. 

In 2002 Salvenelli traveled again down to New York for a service held at Madison Square Garden, with thousands of firefighters from across the country, and world. In 2006 he returned for a Red Knights Convention with Wenham firefighter Bill Pantos. 

This weekend, Salvenelli will travel down on his Special Edition Firefighter's Harley Davidson, to stay with one of his best friends, firefighter Michael Losee at Brooklyn 271. "We all consider each other brothers. When we drive into the city they take us right into their fire stations. It's a brotherhood."

Likewise, Salvenlli said the New York firefighters have come up and stayed with him and others to attend funerals for fallen firefighters in Boston. 

Salvanelli said heading down to New York for the anniversary is 'the least he can do.' "Being a firefighter you really see it. When you see the guys in the firehouse, they're just unbelievable professionals. It's the brotherhood that we all support each other. It's just very humbling."