EDMONDS — South Snohomish County community members gathered Thursday morning to commemorate the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.
Retired South County firefighter Dave Erickson led the ceremony at 9:11 a.m. at the Fallen Firefighter Memorial Park in downtown Edmonds.
In 2011, Erickson traveled to New York City to bring back a 1-ton beam recovered from the World Trade Center, which is now on display at the park. Next to the beam are 3,000 glass tiles, representing the lives lost on 9/11. Of the tiles, 343 are colored red to represent firefighters and 60 are blue to represent police officers.
“This is sacred ground for us,” Erickson said, “and I hope it is for you too.”
Among the speakers was Andy Speier, retired captain for Snohomish County Fire District No. 1 and former New York firefighter. He went to New York after the Sept. 11 attacks to search for people at Ground Zero. Speier thanked the Edmonds firefighters he worked with at the time.
“It was because of them I was able to come back and assimilate back into the workforce and come back to work after 9/11,” he said. “It’s hard to believe that it’s been 24 years.”
Edmonds Mayor Mike Rosen expressed his gratitude for the firefighters in attendance.
“You’re the ones who run up the stairways when others are running down,” he said. “And you don’t do it for glory. You do it because somebody needs your help. That, in my opinion, is heroism. It is selflessness, and it was never shown more clearly than on 9/11 when your brothers and sisters ran up those stairs, when other people were running down, and they had no idea if they’d be coming down themselves.”
Erickson also honored firefighters who have died from occupational cancer, including former South County Fire Captain Dean Warren, who died last summer. Warren served south Snohomish County for 26 years. Occupational cancer is a leading cause of death for firefighters, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“The firefighters before you are some of the best of what humanity has to offer, in spite of risks they face, both seen and unseen, they continue to serve,” Erickson said.
Communities across the county remembered the attacks Thursday. In Everett, an event took place at Paine Field on Thursday morning, and another was scheduled for Thursday evening with city officials, veterans, local artists and students. Marysville and North County Fire also hosted ceremonies Thursday morning.
Jenna Peterson: 425-339-3486; jenna.peterson@heraldnet.com; X: @jennarpetersonn.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
Gallery
