PORT TOWNSEND — First responders, officials and the public will remember for the events of Sept. 11, 2001, on Wednesday.
Fire engines and ambulances will be parked in front of East Jefferson Fire Rescue stations and the flag will be lowered to half-staff.
At 8:46 a.m., the time that Flight 11 hit Tower 1 of the World Trade Center in New York, a moment of silence will be observed. The flag will then be returned to full-staff.
At the same time, the Port Townsend Fire Bell Tower, located at 310 Tyler St. in Port Townsend, will ring a series of 3-4-3 in memory of the 343 firefighters who died that day.
The Jefferson County courthouse bell will toll 2-9-7-7 at 10:28 a.m, in remembrance of the 2,977 lives lost that day. Jefferson County Sheriff Joe Nole will then speak at the courthouse front steps.
Chief Tim Manly of the Brinnon Fire Department said they will hold a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m. outside of their station at 272 Schoolhouse Road.
“Members of the public are welcome,” Manly said. “We go outside, we recognize the time, we have a moment of silence, then we go inside the bay. We enjoy some conversation and have some coffee and cookies. That’s about it.”
The Port Angeles Fire Department will not host an event this year, said chief fire assistant Joel McKeen, who added that there will be bagpipes at Veteran Memorial Park at noon at 217 S. Lincoln St.
Nole shared some reflections with the Board of Jefferson County Commissioners on Monday following the board’s adoption of a proclamation of remembrance for Sept. 11.
“To be truthful, remembering bad things isn’t my favorite thing to do,” Nole said. “That’s probably true of a lot of people, but I look at, ‘What can we learn from that day?’ I guess I’m looking at it primarily from a first responder’s view of helping people and saving people. To me, what’s important is what we can take away from it. I think we’re all together.
“I think that remembering what happened there and the people who gave their lives rescuing people that they didn’t know, trying to rescue people, shows that what makes this country great is that we all pull together when we need to,” Nole continued.
“That is a lesson that should be taken, or a reminder that what makes us great is the way we help each other, the way that we respond to each other. It’s not winners and losers, it’s people who care and people who help.
“If there’s one thing we can take from that day, it’s that we do have the capacity to pull together and do great things.”
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Reporter Elijah Sussman can be reached by email at elijah.sussman@sequimgazette.com.
