San Luis Fire Dept. marks 9/11
The San Luis Fire Department took time Monday morning for a solemn observance of the 16th Anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 on the World Trade Centers, the Pentagon, and the plane crash of United Flight 93.
At 10 a.m., 12 firefighters and several city employees gathered outside of Station No. 1 where they heard prayers and received a blessing from Padre Oscar Magallanes from the St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church.
“Today we remember the brave and selfless act of our fallen brothers on that day,” said fire department spokesperson Luis Cebreros.
When he spoke of the events of that day, Padre Magallanes talked about the courage and bravery of the firefighters who gave their lives, and asked that their selfless acts never be forgotten.
A total of 2,977 people lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks, including 343 firefighters, 72 police officers and other first responders who were attempting to rescue them.
On that day, American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 a.m. There were five hijackers on the board and 88 passengers and members of the crew.
Another five terrorists flew United Airlines Flight 175 into the South Tower of the World Trade Center at 9:03 a.m. There were 65 people on the plane including the hijackers.
Five more terrorists took control of American Airlines Flight 77 and at 9:37 a.m. they directed it into the building of the Pentagon. There were 64 people on the flight.
United Airlines Flight 93 was controlled by four hijackers, and they were going to attack either the White House or the Capitol. But the crew and passengers on the board fought the terrorists, and at 10:03 a.m. the airplane crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. There were 41 passengers and members of the crew on it.
All 266 people who were on the four flights died. Some of them had been killed before the planes crashed.
The South Tower of the WTC was burning for almost an hour after the crash of United Airlines Flight 175, and at 9:59 a.m. it collapsed. The North Tower was in fire for 102 minutes following the attack and crashed down at 10:28 a.m.
In addition to flying the flag at half-staff at Station No. 1, 343 American flags had also been placed on the station’s front lawn. Those in attendance also observed a moment of silence.
A brief ceremony and special tribute to the firefighters and police officers who lost their lives that day was also held at 9 a.m. at Yuma Fire Department Station No. 2, located at 3284 S. Avenue A.
The City of Yuma Fire Department also held a brief Memorial Service at 6:30 p.m. at the location of the September 11 Memorial at the E.F. Sanguinetti Fire Station No. 1, at 353 S. 3rd Avenue.
Firefighters from Rural/Metro also honored the memory of their fallen brothers with observances held around the flag poles of each of the department’s fire stations.
Tones were sounded at 6:59 a.m., the exact time of the South Tower collapse, and then a moment of silence ensued.
Rural/Metro spokesperson Charly McMurdie added that a church group also delivered donuts to all of the department’s fire stations that morning.