First responders remember 9/11

Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer

9/11 ceremony Thursday morning in Penticton

Penticton firefighters, RCMP officers and city officials stepped away from their busy lives Thursday morning to remember those who perished in the 9/11 terrorist attacks 13 years ago.

Fire Chief Wayne Williams, who led the brief ceremony at the cairn at Veterans Memorial Park, said they were there to recognize not only the first responders, but also ordinary citizens who were in the towers, the Pentagon and the planes.

"Whenever Sept. 11 comes up the TV shows come out and I found myself on Saturday just fixed to the TV watching these shows, some of them I've seen before, some of them I haven't," he said. "But it's hard to believe it's been 13 years. It's like it just happened yesterday."

Almost 3,000 people died on Sept. 11, 2001, including all of the passengers on the four highjacked planes, people in targeted buildings and firefighters and police officers who tried to save them.

At the hard hit World Trade Center, citizens from more than 90 countries lost their lives.

On that day In Penticton, Williams recalled, firefighters gathered around the TV at work to watch the tragic events unfold.

"It was a day when everything went quiet," he said. "It was an unbelievable situation."

Mayor Garry Litke further paid tribute by reading from a city proclamation, which states in part, "Sept. 11, 9/11 will always be burned in the public consciousness as the most devastating terrorist  attacks to ever hit North America.

Those profound acts of cowardice by the  terrorists resulted in the horrific loss of life at the World Trade Towers, the Pentagon and a rural field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

In the response to those attacked, firefighters acted with honour, courage, commitment and sacrifice to rescue thousands of people, all in the call to duty that they perform everyday."

Pastor John Briscall led those in attendance in prayer, followed by a laying of wreaths by first responders, veterans and the mayor, at the cairn.

At 9:59 a.m., the time when the South Tower collapsed, resulting in the loss of life of many rescue workers, there was a moment of silence.

The solemn ceremony concluded with a bagpiper playing "Amazing Grace."

"November 11 will be remembered as a day of peace," said Williams. "Sept. 11 remembered as a day of tragedy."