KING COUNTY, WA – On Sept. 11, firefighters across King County will honor the men and women who lost their lives during the tragic events of 9/11 in New York City, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many fire departments have transitioned on how to hold memorial events to limit the number of people gathered. Even though we will change how we memorialize those who have lost their lives that day, the gravity of their sacrifice will be felt deeply in our hearts and minds.
Below are a few ways fire departments locally are honoring the anniversary:
Seattle Fire Department: All 33 Seattle fire stations will begin the day on 9/11 by reading aloud the 343 names of the firefighters who lost their lives on 9/11 in New York City while raising fire station flags. This will occur at 8:46 a.m., which is the time the first hijacked plane hit the north tower 20 years ago. Simultaneously, Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins and Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz will raise the flag at the Space Needle.
At 11 a.m., the Seattle Fire and Police departments will live-stream a small ceremony to commemorate the 20-year anniversary. The ceremony begins at 11 a.m. and will end around 11:30 a.m. The honor guards and pipes and drums from both departments will be part of the ceremony, and the Red Hot and Blues singers will sing the national anthem. Access the livestream link here at 11 a.m. on 9/11: http://seattlechannel.org/watch-live.
South King Fire and Rescue: South King Fire and Rescue has the most complete 9/11 Memorial on the West Coast. Located in front of Fire Station 64 at 3700 S. 320th in Federal Way the Memorial holds memorabilia from all three of the Sept. 11 crash sites and more.
An in-person public event will be held at the memorial site at 1:00 pm. Media interested in attending should contact Captain Brad Chaney at brad.chaney@southkingfire.org, and arrive by 12:40 pm. Please note masks will be required.
The memorial is maintained by donations made to the South King Firefighters Foundation (www.firefightersfoundation.org). Members of the public are invited to stop by the outdoor memorial at any time, and maintain social distancing when possible and please wear your mask.
More information on the artifacts located at the South King Fire and Rescue Memorial Site, from the three crash sites:
New York, NY: A 12-foot and 1,216 pound steel beam from the World Trade Center Twin Towers. The beam was picked up from New York and Transported to Federal Way by two firefighters in 2011, and is mounted so that it points toward New York City.
Shanksville, PA: A stone excavated from the field where Flight 93 crashed into after Todd Beamer and other passengers and crew wrestled the plane from terrorists, preventing the plane from reaching its presumed destination of Washington DC.
Washington D.C.: A limestone building block from the Pentagon shipped to Federal Way by Alaska Airlines with the aid of the Washington D.C. Fire Department.
These artifacts are surrounded by a black granite wall with the names of each of the 2,977 people that lost their lives in the attack including 343 firefighters and 60 police officers. There is also a display at the memorial of a pair of bronzed combat boots dedicated to the military personnel that continue to battle global terrorism. Behind those boots is this quote from John Kennedy’s January 20, 1961 Inaugural Address: “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty”.
Seattle Mariners game and Seattle Sounders FC match: First responders throughout the region have been invited to participate in various on-field events at the Sept. 11 Seattle Mariners game and Seattle Sounders FC match. Media should coordinate through their normal contacts at the stadiums/teams.