9/11 Ceremony held by veterans and first responders

On September 11, The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2933 and American Legion Post 290 held a ceremony to commemorate the 17th anniversary of the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, on The World Trade Towers.

VFW Post Commander Ronnie “Shorty” Barnett welcomed attendees and introduced the event’s guest speaker, North Hays Fire/Rescue Fire Chief Scott Collard who spoke about the importance of that day and affect it had on many lives.

Chief Collard’s remarks, in part, follow:

Do you remember where you were, what you were doing on that day?

Like most Americans, I was on my way to work when I heard on the radio that a small plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. That was the understatement of the year. I never dreamed this day would be so important in our Nation's history. I remember the live video and the horrific images broadcast worldwide.

Almost 3000— 2996-- innocent people were killed that day. Scores more were injured. To date, in The World Trade Center, only about sixty-percent of the remains have been identified.

One thing that stands out in my mind, above most others, is the courage and leadership of our President, George W. Bush on that day, as well as through the subsequent years…as an American, his visit to ground zero was inspiring to me and to my colleagues.

When the President vowed that the US government would not make any distinctions between the terrorist who committed the acts and those who harbor them, I knew that our nation would take control and fight back.

I also believe that the selfless sacrifice of first responders, military personnel and civilians that day is true reflection of the resolve of our great country.

For the fire service, 9/11 marks the worst loss of life of firefighters in history. 343 firefighters were killed trying to save the lives of others. The brave men and women of the FDNY went to work that day just like the rest of us expecting a normal workday. Their day changed in less than a heartbeat. As first responders, we accept the fact that each day could be our last, but that does not stop us from doing everything we can to help others.

All first responders felt a great loss that day. All total, we lost 412 emergency service workers that day, from the FDNY, NYPD and the Port Authority. While the events that morning were challenging, first responders rose above the situation and did their jobs.

Never Forget. Patriot Day is for us to remember all of those who were injured or who died during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

The effects of this terrorist attack have been long and very wide reaching. Today, we still feel the effects and the aftermath of this tragedy. Every year, many of the responders that responded to the event are dying from various ailments associated with the toxic air from the buildings’ collapse. Many others have been forced to retire from the public service careers they loved, as a result of illnesses related to that day. We also have experienced the tragic loss of a number of responders to suicide.

After the event, many civilian and military people worked tirelessly for almost ten years to hunt down the architect of the attack, Osama Bin Laden. Their efforts came to fruition when Bin Laden was finally killed by U.S. Special Forces in Abbottabad Pakistan on May 2, 2011.

So to all of you who serve in the armed forces, on behalf of all first responders, I say thank you.

And as we jointly remember that solemn day, I ask, where were you?

-Fire Chief Scott Collard, North Hays Fire/Rescue