Rochester honors firefighters who died during 9/11 with new memorial
The new memorial has a piece of steel from the World Trade Center and a plaque explaining its significance. Photo by Grace Roche
The new memorial has a piece of steel from the World Trade Center and a plaque explaining its significance. Photo by Grace Roche
ROCHESTER — A rusted piece of steel, once part of the World Trade Center in New York City, now stands atop a block of granite at the Rochester Firefighter's Memorial as tribute to the first responders who died during 9/11.
The Rochester Police and Fire departments dedicated the newly-installed memorial, at Hartley Mill Pond across from Lloyd’s Market, during an annual ceremony on Friday, Sept. 11.
Fire Captain Kevin Richard said the piece of metal had been donated to the fire department years ago, and the department had been waiting for the right opportunity to incorporate it into a memorial.
A local mason, who wished to remain anonymous, donated his time and supplies to create the new memorial. He suggested a simple block of granite with “343” carved into it to represent the number of New York Fire Department firefighters who died trying to rescue people that day.
“We tossed it around and said that was a perfect idea — very plain, and with a nice saying of exactly what the what the piece of steel means,” Richard said. “We thought today would be the perfect time to dedicate it.”
By 2001, Richard had been working for the Rochester Fire Department for nearly 10 years. He said he remembers being engrossed in TV broadcasts as the attacks unfolded and “so heartbroken” as more information came out.
He and some of the crew volunteered to travel to New York City to dig for survivors, but because so many other closer departments volunteered they were ultimately never called to help.
“We were all watching it on TV, so I think that's the impact that most people here felt — the enormity of the event,” Richard said. “The fact that we're all in the business, we understand it, and we knew the sacrifice.”
Richard said the Friday morning ceremony was a time to do their “duty” of honoring and remembering the lives lost 25 years ago.
While community members are welcome at the event — Richard estimated a 50-person turnout this year — he said it’s primarily held for the town’s first responders.
“If nobody showed up, that would be fine,” he said. “It's really for us, in our profession, to remember it the way we're going to do it.”
