COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Four Connecticut firefighters are being honored on a national memorial, including two who died last year in Bridgeport as they searched for people trapped in a house fire.
The Connecticut firefighters will be among more than 80 honored Saturday in a ceremony at the International Association of Firefighters' memorial in Colorado Springs.
They include Bridgeport Lt. Steven Velasquez and Firefighter Michel "Mitch" Baik, who died July 24, 2010, as they ventilated and searched a burning three-story home.
Two others are also being honored: Stamford Capt. Daniel Chichester Sr., who died of cancer on Aug. 23, 2010; and Waterbury Lt. Bruce Bachinsky, who died of a heart attack after finishing his shift on Oct. 26, 2010.
More than 2,400 names are on the memorial's Wall of Honor.
A special dinner was held Thursday night at the Crowne Plaza Hotel for the families of those who will be honored Saturday. Rose Foti and her family started the Italian dinner in 2002 after attending the memorial for her son - one of 343 firefighters killed on Sept. 11, 2001.
Hundreds of family members from the U.S. and Canada gather for the dinner every year.
"Just joining together with people who are going through the same kind of sadness and pain, is part of the healing process," Frank Foti, Rose's son, said. "It really helps my mom a lot.
The memorial will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Park.
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