Remembering September 11th

Every year I have aspirations of writing a post that will truly embody what firefighters think of September 11th.

Every year the date shows up quicker and quicker and I fail. This year is no different.

I remember where I was when it all unfolded. I was at the station working. We happened to have CNN or FoxNews on when they went live with the reports. As the reports unfolded, we watched and listened. The errant reporting of many events that were thought to have happened or were happening that luckily did not along with the history which was made of the senseless killing of so many people, police officers, and 343 firefighters at Ground Zero, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, PA.

I stood watching as the second plane hit the South Tower. The crew at my station was speechless.

Then the towers fell…I remember saying something about imagining how many firefighters had just perished.

9 years later

It is now 9 years later. Some of the firefighters in my department were in Middle or High School when the attacks occurred. It is hard to imagine their thoughts on the day. Does 343 mean the same to them as it does to me. It could be the difference between my thoughts and that of an actual FDNY firefighter who lived through the day.

So many thoughts and so many memories.

Do we still remember? Will we NEVER FORGET. How can some NEVER FORGET if they don’t remember it in the first place?

Are we creating a legacy of REMEMBERING for those in the future who were not even alive for the events?

Here I sit at the fire station on September 11th (trading time with a brother firefighter). We remember, it is hard to forget! What have we done to continue the legacy for those who died on September 11th? Nothing…

Luckily for me there are so many memorial and tribute events, organizations, web sites, and venues to preserve the legacy of our Bravest 343.

What about you?

What are you doing to NEVER FORGET?

Where were you on that day?

What were you doing?

For more news coverage of blogs and web sites mentioning September 11th, check out STATter911.com here.

Here is a message from Bobby Halton: