Life in America has changed immeasurably following the events of Sept. 11. Nobody knows this better than the New York City Fire Department (FDNY).

On Saturday, the members of Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity, 328 E. Fairmount Ave, gave 10 members of the FDNY a chance to return to normalcy, if only for a short time, at a barbeque held in their honor.

The idea was conceived last March because several members of the fraternity, who are from just outside New York City, felt particularly affected by the attacks and wanted to find a way to thank the city's heroes, said Mike Cocco, social chair for the fraternity.

"We are very proud of this event, of honoring the fire department and being able to make people recognize what they did," Cocco said. "We would like to try and make it a yearly event."

The firefighters viewed the weekend as a time to relax, watch some football and remember those they lost in a more upbeat way.

"It's good to get away from New York and have a good time," said firefighter Tom Narducci, whose company Engine Company 10 Manhattan, N.Y., is located directly across from the site where the World Trade Center once stood.

"Sometimes someone will say something and it just clicks with you again and reopens old wounds," Narducci said. "It's nice to have an opportunity to escape all of that for a while."

Firefighter Tony Marden of Ladder Company 165 Queens, N.Y., shared similar feelings.

"After the week we've had, memorials and funerals on Monday and Tuesday and a full day of events on Wednesday, this is the perfect little getaway," he said.

The firefighters were also honored in a presentation before this weekend's football game against Nebraska.

Adam Steinhaus, president of Alpha Sigma Phi, said hosting the firefighters was an amazing experience for all involved.

"They are the most incredible and appreciative guys I've ever met ... and the appreciation goes both ways," he said. "Being able to talk to them and see them enjoy themselves is the greatest experience we could ever have."

Fire Marshal Woody McHale said the appreciation was mutual.

"The brothers of Alpha Sigma Phi took the initiative amongst all their other obligations to schedule this for us ... we were very impressed as members of a team to see that they organized this and worked as a team to pull this together," McHale said.

He added that part of the reason the weekend's events were so special was the fact that the university has students from every area of the country.

"This is such a cross section of America," McHale said. "It is reassuring to be at a thing like this, to know that everyone is behind us and everyone is aware."

Nine of the 10 firefighters are members of the Bravest Football Club, the FDNY's football team, which lost 22 members at the World Trade Center.

"We dedicated this past season to the lost firefighters from the team, as well as all those affected," McHale said.

Although the tone of the day was generally light-hearted, McHale said, it was important to remember the reason for any event honoring those involved in the attacks.

"They attacked everyone, not just New York," he said. "Today is New York, tomorrow could be anywhere."

Narducci added that he and his coworkers do not view themselves as the heroes many feel they are.

"We don't see ourselves as heroes. If another plane was to hit another building in New York, there wouldn't be one firefighter who wouldn't do the same," he said. "We're just doing our job."