ST. CHARLES -- As he sits behind a booth surrounded by commemorative American flags, former New York City Rescue Worker Mike Hughes said he still found it difficult to sleep.

"When I hear things at night, like a siren or a loud noise, I can't sleep because it reminds me of that day," he said.

Hughes was in the second tower of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, helping to evacuate people from the building when it suddenly collapsed, leaving him buried under the rubble for about 15 to 20 minutes.

It was in the spirit of that mission which compelled Hughes -- and rescue professionals from around this country and close to half a dozen others -- to come to the area Saturday and help raise money and awareness for firefighters worldwide who lack proper equipment and resources.

Firefighters from France, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia were on hand to learn the latest in fire-fighting techniques and technology during the two-day Gear Up Foundation 2007 International Convention, held at the Pheasant Run Resort & Spa, 4051 E. Main St.

"We wanted to bring this event to the middle of the country because 9/11 didn't only affect New York -- it wasn't even an American event -- it affected the free world," Gear Up co-founder Vincent Forras said. "We do it all to make people realize who we are as Americans after such a tragedy, to rise above the hatred, and still reach out with love on behalf of all of those who died on 9/11."

Forras, a Westchester County, New York firefighter and Sept. 11 survivor who spent more than two hours buried under the World Trade Center, said the need to help fellow firefighters transcends politics or ideologies.

"It's beyond any sort of diplomatic type thing you could imagine," he said. "Firefighters cross those borders, there's something about firefighters where there is no facade -- what you see is what you get."

Donations included more than 200 outdated uniforms from Chicago-area Fire Departments, as well as gear collected from Wisconsin and Schaumburg firefighters.

Truck after truck of donated fire equipment were unloaded throughout the day. Old hoses, pumps, water tanks and helmets were brought in so that they could be loaded onto one of the convention's largest and most stirring exhibits.

The World Memorial, a, 18-wheel truck from San Diego displaying on its side the names of Sept. 11 victims, stood in the center of the convention floor with several walls full of Sept. 11 memorabilia on display nearby, including some of the fliers of those who were missing, snapshots of people inside the towers trying to get out, and badges of some of the fallen rescue workers.

"Four hundred-thirty public safety people gave their lives in the line of duty to save an estimated 25,000," said Mitch Mendler, one of the exhibit's creators. "They laid their lives down for people they don't even know because that was their job -- and they didn't even think twice about it."

The truck is scheduled to head east after the convention in order to unload its cargo and ship it out to receiving fire departments throughout South America.