City of Montgomery honors 9/11 heroes through ceremony
It’s been 24 years since what is considered the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil. Nearly 3,000 died in combined attacks at the Twin Towers in New York, the Pentagon, and the hijacking of Flight 93 in Pennsylvania.
Montgomery first responders joined the city Thursday morning in honoring the victims of 9/11/01 in a ceremony in downtown Montgomery.
The ceremony was held at the Montgomery Fire/ Rescue Headquarters, and included bell ringing, guest speakers, and more.
“We remember this day every year for the past 24 years, the lives that were lost that led this nation into war. And we just never want to forget that day,” said Chief Russell Collier, the interim chief for Montgomery Fire/ Rescue.
Collier remembers exactly where he was on that day.
“I was a rookie at Engine 4 station here in Montgomery. I was getting off shift and I remember seeing the first plane hit he tower. At that time we didn’t know it was a plane. We just thought it was a high rise fire in New York City,” said Collier.
Collier says he and his fellow firefighters discussed what they would do if faced with a similar situation. That is until they realized what was taking place in New York City was much worse than they thought.
Collier joined city leaders and the community to remember the hundreds of first responders who died in the attacks, and to honor 15 of Montgomery’s own firefighters who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice.
“To be here with the men and women of Montgomery Fire/ Rescue, Montgomery Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, that’s important for us and just to talk about the spirit of unity we all had that day,” says Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed. “It doesn’t matter if you were Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, white, black, brown, everybody that day was Americans.”
Mayor reed also calls on the community to remember how unified the country was in 2001 and to channel that same energy now during political unrest.
