‘These are the stories we must pass on’— Warrensburg remembers 9/11

“Remembering 9/11 is about honoring the humanity we witnessed in response to that tragedy,” says New York State Assemblyman Matt Simpson. “The first responders who rushed toward danger, strangers who helped one another on the street, the communities that came together to grieve and heal. These are the stories we must pass on to the next generation. They remind us that even in our darkest moments, we can find light and strength in one another.”

Simpson was speaking this Wednesday at the 9/11 Memorial Service, which the Warrensburg Fire Company has held each year since 2002 at the Bandstand in the center of town. Warrensburg residents and visitors, members of a dozen local fire companies, the Ladies Auxiliary, and Warrensburg EMS filled the street alongside the bandstand to remember the tragedy and the bravery of that day 23 years ago. The candle-lit ceremony included performances by the WCS Band under the direction of Denise Foster and the Galloway Gaelic Pipe & Drums of Glens Falls.

State Senator Dan Stec and Warrensburg Fire Chief Jason Hull also spoke at the service with a common theme woven through their remarks. The lessons of 9/11 cannot be lost in the pages of a history textbook.

“The first thing I thought of this morning when I looked outside was how similar the weather was [23 years ago]” said Stec. “All the youngsters here, they were born after 9/11. Old-timers like me and some of the guys up here remember what a beautiful day it was that started, and how awfully it tragically turned into one of the ugliest days in our country’s history… I think it’s very important for young people to be reminded of the sacrifice and the loss that our country suffered that day … It’s important to remember this because there are lessons learned that day, and there are constant reminders that again we live in a dangerous world, and we need to look out for each other. So, it’s nice that we do this today, on 9/11, every year. I hope we remember that two months from now and 20 years from now, 200 years from now, that we’ve got an obligation to one another to look out for each other like we did, like we came together on that day.”

Warrensburg Fire Chief Jason Hull noted that 9/11 “is not just history. 9/11 is not history for the families who lost loved ones on that fateful day, [and] for the families today who are still losing loved ones from the toxic environment.” Hundreds of the first responders that survived the terrorist attacks, says Hull, have since died, and more continue to die, from illnesses caused by toxic chemicals at Ground Zero. Hull vowed that the Warrensburg Fire Company would never forget and will continue to hold a Memorial Service each September.

Simpson explained why these memorial services are important: “To the new generation we say ‘learn from this history. Understand 9/11 not just as a date but the day that shaped the world you live in. Remember the bravery and sacrifice and the unity that emerged from the rubble. By preserving the memory of September 11^th, we ensure that its lessons are never lost. We prepare ourselves and future generations to face challenges with the same strength and determination that carried us.’”