GAINESVILLE - The Gainesville Fire Department and Gainesville Police Department hosted a Memorial Service Saturday to remember the Public Safety Employees who died on September 11, 2001 in the terrorist attack on New York City.
At Fire Station Number One on Jesse Jewell Parkway in downtown Gainesville, an honor guard of police and fire fighters lowered the flag to half mast and a police officer in full dress walked a guard watch.
For the officers and fire fighters who died in the Twin Towers, a highly polished silver fire bell tolled 'three sets of five'. That was the original alarm box signal that meant a public safety officer died in the line of duty.
Fire Chief Jon Canada said Remembrance Day 2010 is a way to honor
the 343 Firefighters and 62 Law Enforcement Officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.
"In 107 minutes 405 Public Safety employees were killed. It is our solemn pledge that we will never forget and we want to dedicate this memorial service to their memory, their families, and our nation," Chief Canada said.
Chief Canada said 9-11 changed things forever for Americans and in particular for emergency responders because that September morning nine years ago New York City's fire fighters and police found themselves on the front line in the war against terrorism.
"It changed our world and life as we once knew it," Chief Canada said. "It changed the way we looked at our daily operations, it changed the way we train and what we train for. Police and fire both are front line for the local communities across this nation; we're the ones who are on the scene first."
"We've always been first responders," Police Chief Brian Kelly said. "That day law enforcement working hand in hand with the fire fighters did what they always do; they rush in to danger and trouble to help those who need assistance."
Chief Kelly said since 9-11 police officers have to be trained to react to acts of terror in the cities they serve.
"Definitely over the last nine years I think it's become an ingrained part of law enforcement throughout the nation as well as the Gainesville Police Department. We take steps with training and intelligence gathering to make sure we're up to speed the best we can be to respond to those type incidents God forbid should they occur again."
A bystanders group that came to attend the ceremony included children who respectfully held American flags to honor the emergency responders who perished along with nearly 3,000 civilians who died after the Towers collapsed when they were struck by two jet liners turned by terrorists into guided missiles.
Two area residents died in the attack on the Pentagon in Washington that day.
Edna Stephens grew up in Gainesville, Major Cole Hogan's family lives in Braselton and both are memorialized in bronze and marble at the Georgia Mountains Center.
Chief Kelly recalled he was off duty, traveling with his wife at the intersection of Limestone Parkway and U.S. 129 when he heard about 9-11 attacks.
"I definitely will remember that forever just like everyone else will," he said.
Chief Canada was also off duty, driving north on Thompson Bridge Road when he heard a radio news bulletin. He went to his fire station and found fellow fire fighters glued to the TV. Together they witnessed the Towers collapse, fully realizing that the firefighters inside were killed.
"We were just speechless, just could not believe this was happening, but we knew what was happening to our brothers and sisters in New York that were in that building," Canada said. "I left there, went home, waited for my kids to get home from school and my wife and I just wanted to give them a hug and be with them."
Friday
October 18th, 2024
12:29PM
