The Tony Awards will honor a group of FDNY firefighters during its annual ceremony this weekend.
Firefighters with the department's Engine 54, Ladder 4, Battalion 9—which is stationed at the center of New York City's Theater District—will be recognized Sunday with a special award for their contributions to Broadway over the years, WCBS-TV reports. Because of its location at 48th Street and Eighth Avenue, Battalion Chief Mark Foris says the firehouse has become the "unofficial visitors' center for the Theater District and Times Square."
“Any show that opens up there’s a fire inspection before the show can open up to the public," firefighter John McGee told WCBS. "We do a walkthrough … for everything that’s involved in the show, all the production material and everything like that. There’s a whole process to go through to make sure the show is safe for the public that’s coming to view it.”
And Broadway's theater community has returned that support, especially in the wake of Sept. 11, 2001. Fifteen firefighters from the station died following the terror attacks.
"I have to say that the theater industry as a whole gave us great support in the aftermath, in the days following,” Battalion Chief Tom Meara told WCBS. “They helped us get back on our feet. They were there for us, whatever we needed. Just moral support, always stopping by the firehouse to see how we were doing. Just type of support knowing they had our back, greatly appreciated.”
The 73rd annual Tony Awards will be at 8 p.m. EST from New York City's Radio Music Hall, and the live broadcast will air on CBS.
