WASHINGTON (7News) — The Washington Wizards hosted their Hometown Heroes Lunch at Washington, D.C. Fire & EMS Engine Company 13 (Truck Company 10) and Metropolitan Police Department 7th District.

The luncheon is meant to remember the lives lost on 9/11 and show appreciation to the First Responders who risk their lives every day.

“Today is a day to remember the past and learn from it. And the lessons we learned about responding to a big incident like the Pentagon were lessons I think learning from that makes us successful,” Chief John Donnelly told 7News.

D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly said he wants people to remember that they are humans just like everyone else.

“They’re members of the community. They’re here. They come 24 hours a day to make sure everybody has what they need. So it’s a day to remember them and the sacrifices they make with their families as well,” Donnelly added.

Two DC firefighters, David Tinsley and Gary McKethan, recall responding to the 9/11 attacks at the Pentagon.

“I vividly remember everything about that day,” Tinsley said. “We had to position this truck, like two or three times, because it kept sinking in the ground because it was so much water on the ground, so we had to keep repositioning the truck and moving it so that we can position it,” he said.

McKethan said he immediately understood the severity since they were in training school — which was cancelled — amid the attacks. “Nobody really prepared you for what you saw. You know, it was a whole lot of destruction. And you know, just, hey, we just got to set up and do the best we can,” he added.

Wizards guard Bub Carrington, who was born several years after the attacks, said he remembers learning about it in school.

“My first time learning about it, was in school, seeing those videos and stuff like that in class. And I was heartbroken to just see that many people lose their lives,” Carrington told 7News. “But then, as you hear, learn more about it, and learn the people that also lost their lives or tried to give their lives to help people that day; It was a sad day, but a lot of people tried to help, and a lot of people did a lot of good things that day,” he said.