14 years ago, the world changed.

First responders ran into the the two burning towers as others ran out, many sacrificing themselves to save others.

Since that day, September 11 has been a day to remember the fallen, and honour those who keep us safe and put their lives on the line every day.

They are our hometown heroes.

"My wife had just headed off to work and I turned the news on and saw what had happened...and I sat there for the next 20 hours," High River Fire Department chief Dave Rowe says about September 11, 2001.

"It was just absolutely surreal watching the events unfold."

It takes a special kind of person to be the one who runs to the danger, while the others run from it. For Rowe, being able to help the community was what got him into the boots as a firefighter.

"You can't question yourself as to why you're doing it, it just has to be an instinct," he says.

"There are many times where you are going into a situation where you don't know what's waiting for you around the corner."

So, today, we honour our hometown heroes, the brave men and women who we rely on each and every day to keep us safe and keep our communities strong.