On Tuesday, September 11, 2006 , It was a night of remembering and honoring fallen comrades as emergency personnel from throughout the Berkshires attended a service for the 420 firefighters, police and ambulance workers who lost their lives five years ago in the terror attack on the World Trade Center.
The service was organized by the Florida Volunteer Fire Department and was held at War Memorial Field in front of Florida Baptist Church. More than 60 emergency service representatives from North Adams, Adams, Florida, Savoy, Clarksburg and Williamstown and state police from Cheshire barracks attended the service.
Service included speakers: Dave Burdick who was the main speaker for the memorial service. North Adams Commissioner of Public Safety E. John Morocco spoke about his memories of that day. Rep. Daniel E. Bosley, D-North Adams who spoke about a classmate at the former North Adams State College who died in the World Trade Center. Lynn Richardson from North Adams Ambulance Service who read the EMS Poem. Fire Chief Mike Bedini also read the Firemens Prayer.
On the field in front of the church were crosses and luminaries representing the lives lost during the disaster; red crosses for firefighters, white for medical personnel, blue for police officers, and one brown cross representing the K-9 dog that died. At the service, North Adams resident Staci Downey sang the national anthem, "God Bless America," and "Proud To Be An American" to the audience.
Before it ended, North Adams Fire Director Stephen A. Meranti rang a last call bell in memory of the fallen emergency workers, and representatives from the Florida Volunteer Fire Department gave a two-gun salute as a trumpet mournfully played taps. The Rev. Roy C. Burdick, pastor of Florida Baptist Church, said a prayer at the beginning and the end of the ceremony
"This fire is still burning". James Lyons Jr. said of the Worcester, Mass warehouse inferno that swallowed his 34 year old son, James Lyons III and five city firefighters last December.
"It may not be out until we get a memorial established to those six great men."
Lyons will bring his family to the memorial site this weekend, both to honor his son and help in the healing process. They will joined by the spouses,parents,and siblings of more than 90 of the firefighters who died. Some of the children never knew their fathers whho died before they were born.
In all 1,000 people are expected to attend the three-day long event. They will travel to the National Fire Academy, a federal facility on the campus of a former Catholic college about 48 miles northwest of Baltimore. On corner of the grounds a monument topped by a firefighter's shield is surrounded by plagues bearing the names of those who have died in the line of duty since 1981.
A small eternal flame burns in the middle of the memorial a reminder both deceased and the vehicle of their death. Last year was a tough year for fire departments nationwide. The number of dead exceeded 100 for the first time in over a decade, although this year's group includes two deaths from earlier years that are just now receiving recognition. Some of the deaths were exceptionally tragic. Along with the Worcester blaze,three members of the Keokuk,Iowa, Fire Department died three days before Christmas trying to rescue young children from a burning house.Three children died along with the firefighters.
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Firefighters Memorial Section: FEMA - Remembrance Gallery of 911(New): New never seen before photo's of 911 in New York, Washington D.C. and PA Final Alarm - Forest Fire Patrolman Wayne Mickle : Final Alarm - Forest Fire Patrolman Wayne Mickle National Fallen Firefighter's Foundation: Every One Goes Home (Offical Website): |