On the 25th anniversary of tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, Madera hosted its annual 9/11 Firefighter Memorial at Courthouse Park.
Before a standing-room only crowd, many came to pay their respects to the almost 3,000 lives that were lost that day before the 9/11 Memorial Beam. The memorial is dedicated to honoring local, state and federal firefighters, as well as those who lost their lives on September 11.
It was also a time to honor the five Madera County firefighters who lost theirs lives on duty — Clyde Hammond, Madera City Fire, 1940; Cecil W. Murrain, Chowchilla City Fire, 1972; Michael Macy, Sr., Department of Forestry, 1982; Richard Eddy, Department of Forestry, 1999; and Steve Wilson, Cal Fire, 2014.
The Cal Fire Local 2881 Honor Guard opened the proceedings with the National Anthem sung by Zoey Camargo and the invocation presented by Pastor Roger Leach.
The statements of Madera County Communications Director Alexan Balekian and Cal Fire Assistant Chief Larry Pendarvis set the tone for the ceremony to honor the fallen.
“We are honoring a moment in time, a moment defined by what happened a generation ago, Sept. 11, 2001,” Balekian said. “It was a normal Tuesday morning. Not a cloud over the New York skyline. Suddenly, without warning, that day turned into the darkest and deadliest day in our nation’s history on American soil.
“Today, a new generation is just starting to learn about 9/11, whether it’s in their history books, YouTube, social media or documentaries on Netflix. But the place they learn more, year after year, are the stories of sacrifice and survival at memorials like this one. A single beam is not just any slab of steel. This beam is a beacon of hope, a reminder of resolve and an authentic relic of the World Trade Center. It’s 14 feet in length. It’s a steel beam honoring the fight for our freedom. It’s a beam that honors our everyday heroes, the firefighters and first responders, the men and women who get up everyday, leave their families and run into the fire and run into danger, sacrificing their own lives to save others.
“Two thousand, nine hundred and seventy seven. It’s a number we will never forget. To this day, a staggering 40 percent of the 9/11 victims remain unidentified. Just recently, through new technology, the 1,651st victim was formally identified. It adds a new chapter against the evil that failed to tear us down, only to stand taller and stronger than ever before.
“Here we are, 25 years later, we will never forget. We will never forget where we were when it happened. We woke up that morning expecting an ordinary day. 246 passengers, 2,606 people at work, 343 firefighters, 60 police officers, 8 paramedics and 1 K-9 had no idea it would be their last morning. By 10 a.m., Eastern time, the world had changed forever.
“Tonight, let’s hug our families a little tighter, kiss our children, snuggle your animals, call the people you love because tomorrow is never promised. Sometimes, ordinary moments are the ones we never get back.
“We will never stop telling these stories to the next generation of how the world stood still, how our heroes stood tall and how the resolve of the country stood untied. These stories we tell today are honest that will forever be the bookmark of our tomorrow.”
After listening to the chilling dispatcher calls from that fateful day, Pendarvis presented his speech to honor those whose lives were lost.
“September 11, 2001 will be a date that will be forever etched into the history of our nation and to the hearts of everyone that lived through it. 25 years have passed, yet the images of lost, courage and the extraordinary acts of selflessness witnessed that day remain as powerful as ever.
“September 11 was not just an attack on buildings or institutions. It was an attack on our nation, our communities, our families and our way of life.
“We honor the 2,977 innocent lives taken from us. They were mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, friends, co-workers and loved ones whose absence continue to be felt. We also honor the firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency personnel, military members and ordinary citizens who demonstrated extraordinary courage in the face of unimaginable danger. Among them were 343 members of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) who answered their final alarm that morning.
“They did what members of the fire service have always done. When others desperately try to escape danger, they move towards it. They climbed stairwells while thousands were coming down. They entered buildings knowing the risks because someone above them were in need. They answered the call.
“For those of us privileged to wear the uniform today, September 11 carries a particularly profound meaning. We understand this service is more than just a profession. It’s a commitment to place safety and the well-being of others before our own. The courage demonstrated by our brothers and sisters on September 11 demonstrated the greatest example of that commitment in the history of American fire service.
“On this 25th anniversary, remembrance is more than looking back. It’s a responsibility. An entire generation has grown into adulthood with no memory of Sept. 11, 2001. Many of our fire fighters entering our profession, today, were not yet born when the attacks occurred. As the years continue to pass, it becomes our responsibility to endure September 11 never becomes simply a date in the history books. We must tell the stories. We must remember the names. We must teach future generations about the courage, sacrifice, passion and the unity demonstrated that day. We must help them understand, not only what our nation lost, but also what our nation became in the days that followed. American stood together, communities supported one another, first responded worked without hesitation and strangers helped strangers. For a moment in our nation’s history, differences seemed far less important than what united us.
“We also recognize the firefighters serving the front lines of the United States. Even as they prepare for another operational period and another day on the fire line, they too, will pause to remember those who came before us. Their service is a reminder that the legacy we honor today continues. It continues every time a firefighter climbs on a fire engine, every time a first responder leaves their family to answer an alarm, and every time someone steps forward when others are in need.
“Twenty-five years later, our obligation is not simply to remember how those heroes died. It’s to remember how they lived, how they served and what their example asks of us each day. We honor though our actions. May we serve our communities with courage and compassion. May we never take for granted the freedoms we enjoy or the sacrifices made to protect them. May we ensure those who came before us understand the significance of September 11, 2001 so that the memories of the ones we lost, the courage of those who responded and the unity our nation demonstrated will never fade with the passing of time. 25 years later, we remember.
“We honor and we carry their legacy forever. We carry it forward and we will never forget.”