The Auburn Fire Division held its annual 9/11 memorial service on the lawn of Fire Station No. 1 on East Magnolia Ave at 8:00 a.m. Dozens of fire fighters, city officials, media and citizens were in attendance.
“What do you think of when you hear the words, ‘9/11’?” said John Lankford, chief of the Auburn Fire Division. “I think of that day and remember that it started out just like any other day, but it ended up being a day that I will never forget.”
The service began with the retiring of the flag by an honor guard composed of fire fighters from the AFD. A new flag was then placed at half-staff before the service continued with an introduction by Lankford.
“It was a day that was chaotic, with moments of anger and confusion,” Lankford said.
Lankford said looking back to 14 years ago reignites tender emotions; however, it also reminds him of the good Americans are capable of and the unity brought about by the tragedy that occurred that fateful morning.
The AFD has close ties with the Fire Department of New York. Two former Auburn fire fighters now serve in New York’s fire department.
“We all had a renewed sense of pride and honor, and we all knew that we would do whatever it took to rebuild, recover and right the wrongs that were done to us," Lankford said. "We supported each other, and that gave us strength,”
Following Lankford’s introduction, Deputy Chief Matt Jordan, reminded attendees just how devastating the attacks were. 2,753 people were killed in the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. and the crash of Flight 93 in Pennsylvania.
The AFD concluded the service with a bell ringing ceremony to honor the firefighters lost in the line of duty on that day. A solitary silver bell was rung in a sequence of three rings, then four, and finally, three rings again. The ringing sequence was meant to symbolize the 343 fire fighters who lost their lives.
“I woke up this morning, realized it had been 14 years and it just took me back to where I was standing and what I was doing [when it happened],” said Martee Moseley, chairman of the board of the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, after the service concluded.
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