County to rededicate sculpture
First responders to be honored with leaders and families
EAGLEVILLE >> Montgomery County leaders, local first responders and their families will come together Saturday to mark the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
They will do this by rededicating a 9/11 memorial. The ceremony, which is limited to first responders and families, will take place Saturday at the Montgomery County Emergency Operations Center in Eagleville.
“On 9/11, please take a moment to acknowledge the victims and the sacrifices of first responders who were on the ground during and the aftermath of the attack, including some of our own from Montgomery County,” said Montgomery County Commissioners’ Vice Chairman Ken Lawrence Jr.
The sculpture, created by Sassona Norton, was originally placed outside of the Montgomery County Courthouse in downtown Norristown. Made of bronze, the artwork “features a set of hands that hold a 16-foot piece of twisted steel from the wreckage of the Trade Center,” according to the Library of Congress.
Lawrence said county officials ordered the creation of the sculpture
back in 2003, and it was “installed” in 2005.
Regional EMS Medical Director Dr. Alvin Wang said he hopes the rededication will provide an opportunity “for us to remember the sacrifices of those who lost their lives, lost their friends and loved ones on 9/11 whether it was New York or Shanksville or over at the Pentagon.”
Wang remembered that dark day clearly when he was in his mid-twenties, a student at Penn State, and working as a paramedic in the Montgomery County area.
“I remember when I was a paramedic back then, and I remember hearing about the first crash, and seeing on the news the second crash live, I remember just trying to wrap my head around what I saw,” he said. “I grew up about 20 miles outside of New York City so I was pretty familiar with that area.”
“I guess I would say I just remember feeling sort of this sense of loss during the event and in the days,” he continued. “I just remember feeling so proud of our nation in many different ways, that people from all walks of life stepped up to help out.”
Emphasizing the key role public safety personnel played in the days following the attack, Wang said that Saturday will also feature events surrounding Public Safety Appreciation Day.
“Certainly, I hope it’s an opportunity for us as a county to show appreciation to our dedicated men and women day in and day out who work tirelessly at a job that can sometimes be thankless — and that’s for all public safety disciplines,” Wang said.
Wang noted that these first responders have been working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Approximately 100 first responders and their family members will participate in a variety of activities including a 5K walk/ run, a relay run, a firefighters 5k, a kids fun run, a corn hole tournament, according to an event poster. Music, barbecue, and other family fun activities will also be happening during the event, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the county’s emergency operations center in Eagleville.
Wang added that masks and social distancing protocols will be instituted for participants in compliance with established recommendations from the Montgomery County Office of Public Health.
Wang stressed that the area’s “public safety family” includes a variety of positions including police officers, firefighters, emergency medical services personnel, emergency management workers, sheriff’s office deputies, other law enforcement officials, and correctional officers.
“The reason we like to come out is for them to take a little bit of time for themselves to be with their families, and loved ones, and with each other in a non-work collegial setting,” he said.
“On 9/11, please take a moment to acknowledge the victims and the sacrifices of first responders who were on the ground during and the aftermath of the attack, including some of our own from Montgomery County.” — Montgomery County Commissioners’ Vice Chairman Ken Lawrence Jr.