City hosts solemn 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony at Central Fire Station

Everett community, elected officials and first responders gathered together in remembrance

Special to The Advocate

On the morning of Wednesday, Sept. 11, the City of Everett, residents, elected officials and first responders from the Everett Police and Fire Departments gathered at the Central Fire Station to honor those who lost their lives due to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. Everett Fire Department (EFD) Provisional Fire Chief Joseph Hickey welcomed attendees to the ceremony. Joining Chief Hickey were Mayor Carlo DeMaria and Everett Police Chief Paul Strong along with EFD and Everett Police Department (EPD) personnel. Zion Church Ministries Senior Pastor Bishop Robert Brown delivered the opening and closing prayers.

“The City of Everett joins with cities and towns across the United States to pay tribute to and remember those lost and impacted by the tragic events of September 11^th, 2001,” said Mayor DeMaria. “The Everett community, including our own heroic first responders, honors the lives of the thousands lost in New York, Washington, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and will continue to hold up the incredible sacrifices made on that fateful day by firefighters, police officers, paramedics and ordinary citizens as an inspiration and a call to service. I’m proud that we were able to join together to remember, as we always will.”

Chief Hickey called for everyone in attendance to remember all those who lost their lives due to the attacks, including the 343 New York City firefighters and 60 New York City and Transit Authority police officers. Following the Chief’s remarks, the bell was rung in a 3-4-3 sequence and the American flag was raised to half-mast along with a one-minute moment of silence.

On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked four commercial planes, deliberately crashing two of the planes into the upper floors of the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center and a third plane into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. The fourth plane crashed into an empty field in western Pennsylvania due to passengers fighting back and stopping the plane from reaching the intended target of the hijacker. The attacks killed nearly 3,000 people. Since then, the day is remembered annually to honor and never forget the victims and their families along with the heroes who put their lives on the line to help others.

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