On the morning of September 11th 2001, 343 members of the Fire Department of  the City of New York responded to box 8087. For them this would be their last alarm. Among those lost were the men of the much-vaunted Rescue 2. All 7 members and the Apparatus were lost on what is called "The Greatest Save in History.

         Along with the loss of the crew, the apparatus was written off as a total loss. These specialized apparatus known as Heavy Rescues have capabilities and equipment unmatched by any other apparatus. While the smoke and debris were still settling the FDNY began the mountainous task of replacing the destroyed apparatus. Among these new apparatus a order was placed for five new generation Rescues.

After serving the borough of Brooklyn as its first due area for 10 years and responding to over 46,000 calls for service, the rig was retired. An organization named the "Rescue Remembrance Project" had previously purchased Rescues 4 & 5 and succesfully restored both to become rolling memorials, and purchased Rescue 2 with every intention to do the same with it. However, as times changed funding was stretched thin and the future of R2 became bleak. 

         At hearing of the predicament that R2 found itself in, Laramie County Fire District #1 stepped in and purchased R2 with a slightly different plan for its future.  While it would still be a memorial, Rescue 2 would get a new lease on life serving with LCFD#1 as Rescue 1-1, and serving as Wyoming's only Heavy Rescue. With a planned loadout similar to what it carried with FDNY, R 1-1 would also carry equipment needed for its new home, namely I-25&80, several oil and natural gas facilities, as well as a third of the United State's ground based nuclear arsenal.