The idea was to get copies of the New York Fire Department's FDNY patches so members of the Vallejo Fire Department could wear them in honor of those who died in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

When Allen Sklar checks his mail at work, he’s never surprised to find new fire department patches from around the world. Since 2001, Sklar has amassed a collection of between 1,500 and 2,000 ...