North Metro Fire Rescue District and the Broomfield Police Department Present a
Commemorative Ceremony for the 10th Anniversary of the 9/11 Attacks
Editor’s Note: SDA requested that the North Metro Fire Rescue District provide information on the collaboration by North Metro Fire Rescue District and the Broomfield Police Department to present a Commemorative Ceremony honoring those who lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks and the families that must go on without them.
SDA gratefully acknowledges this collaboration and the many other demonstrations of support by other fire districts, and police departments on this the 10th Anniversary of the 9/11 Attacks.
On Thursday, September 15, 2011, SDA’s President Pat Mulhern will open the SDA Annual Conference in Breckenridge with the Presentation of Colors by the Red, White and Blue Fire Protection District followed by a moment of silence in honor of those who were lost and as a tribute to those who carry on.
The citizens of the United States were forever changed by the events of 9/11/2001. On the morning of September 11, 2011, North Metro Fire Rescue District and the Broomfield Police Department invite the citizens of Colorado to gather at the 9/11 Memorial Grounds in Broomfield for a Commemorative Ceremony for the 10th Anniversary of 9/11.
The outdoor ceremony will begin at the amphitheater, which is located adjacent to the Mamie Doud Eisenhower Public Library, at 3 Community Park Road in Broomfield. This amphitheater is set across a small pond directly in front of the 9/11 Memorial.
The service will feature buglers, bagpipers, and local Honor Guards. The two event speakers will include retired Battalion Chief Jack McDonnell from the Fire Department of New York City and Michael Faughnan, Colorado resident and the brother of Chris Faughnan—civilian victim in the Twin Towers location.
According to Wendy Forbes, North Metro Fire Rescue District PIO, “This event will lead the community in remembering the civilians and first responders we lost, show gratitude for the warm support from around the nation, and deliver a message that looks forward at the inspirational nature of our nation. We welcome your attendance, and hope that you will encourage the members of your organization, as well as your friends and family, to join us for this important event—so that we ‘NEVER FORGET’.”
The 9/11 Commemorative Ceremony Events
- Sunday, September 11, 2011 at 11:00 a.m.
- As a special tribute, a miniature field of United States Flags will be placed along the pathway from the amphitheater to the 9/11 Memorial
- Each small flag will be individually labeled with the name of one of the 3,023 people who died in the terrorist attacks that day
- Uniformed first responders will be asked to fall in after the event dignitaries and then the community will be invited to join in
- First responders and departments across Colorado are encouraged to attend this event in uniform to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice during these events
- Departments wishing to bring apparatus are asked to arrive early in order to stage the vehicles around the 9/11 Memorial
- After the ceremony, all attendees can take their time at Memorial Grounds. A quintet from the Denver Municipal Band will perform from noon to 1:00 p.m. Their free concert will include a variety of patriotic selections for the crowd to enjoy
- The event will end with a procession led by bagpipers and honor guard members to 9/11 Memorial Grounds
About the Memorial
The Memorial ground, which incorporates a 300 pound piece of metal from one of the World Trade Towers, is open to the public 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Contained within a surrounding of beautiful landscaping and uneven flagstone (illustrating the rubble left by the devastation on that day) are three life-sized bronze sculptures. Each sculpture shows the people of this tragedy in their moments of suffering, survival, and humanity. Each sculpture, representing people from various ages and walks of life, helps to weave a common thread of courage.
The grounds also contain three bronze wall inserts, which depict each site of the attacks. The first “Let’s Roll” depicts the aftermath of the Shanksville, PA crash site—both the desolation of this scarred land and an outpouring of emotion from the makeshift memorial. The second panel “The Pentagon” highlights emergency equipment at the base of the devastation. For many Americans, it felt as if the heart of the United States’ center of power was shaken. Finally, the third panel “Twin Towers of Light” shows the angry clouds being lifted and the New York City skyline has forever changed. The spirit of American courage and resolve can be seen by two beams of light that replace the buildings known as the Twin Towers. On the backs of these three walls are the names of each of the victims who perished at that particular location.
The 9/11 Memorial was designed by Albuquerque, New Mexico sculptor Reynaldo “Sonny” Rivera. Rivera was motivated to capture the emotion of the moment that changed Americans’ lives forever. It is the hope of this sculptor and North Metro Fire Rescue District that this special place is one of refuge for all who were impacted from these cowardly, terrorist actions. Visitors are welcome here and we hope will leave inspired that the courage of our people lives on.Wendy Forbes is the Public Information Officer of North Metro Fire Rescue District. North Metro Fire Rescue provides fire protection, emergency medical services, hazardous materials response and rescue services to the City and County of Broomfield, the City of Northglenn, and portions of unincorporated Jefferson, Adams, Weld, and Boulder counties. For more information visit the North Metro Fire Rescue web site at www.northmetrofire.org, follow us on Twitter, or become our fan on Facebook.
Other Fire District News...
Congratulations to Red, White and Blue’s newly appointed Fire Chief Lori Miller. Chief Miller asked that SDA mention that the Division of Fire Safety and Summit Fire Authority is hosting a women’s fire conference in Summit County the 1st weekend of October. The website is: www.FireWomen2011.net. There will be speakers at the luncheon from FDNY and the Pentagon in remembrance of 9.11. The coordinator is Katherine Ridenhour, retired Battalion Chief from Aurora FD.
You Can Still Help
As expenses to maintain properly the 9/11 Memorial continue to be generated, a commemorative portrait is being made available to benefit this memorial. Broomfield artist Ruth Soller’s original oil painting is drawn from an October 2001 memorial service held at Ground Zero in New York City in which fire fighters handed out pieces of rubble to survivors and family members of those lost and missing in the World Trade Center.
The original portrait painted by Ms. Soller was acquired by the General President of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) for permanent display in their headquarters in Washington, D.C. “Rather than a likeness of one individual, the portrait symbolizes all firefighters who joined in the search for their brothers,” said Ruth Soller. “The spirit of the painting is one of indomitable hope, patriotism, and determination to move forward even in the midst of grief and sorrow.”
Individuals donating $25 or more to the 9/11 Memorial will receive a print. Citizens can visit the North Metro Fire Rescue District Headquarters located at 101 Lamar Street in Broomfield, Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. for this opportunity. In addition, people may donate $30 and have a print shipped to them by calling (303) 452-9910.
