Less than two weeks ago, the Norwood Park Fire Protection District celebrated its milestone 75th anniversary by unveiling a towering metal statue. A much more somber occasion will bring firefighters together again on Sept. 11, as they gather to remember the 15th anniversary of 9/11 attacks.
Although Norwood Park is hundreds of miles away from New York City, the community every year observes the 9/11 anniversary with a public ceremony to honor the thousands of victims and first responders who died 15 years ago as a result of the attacks.
Deputy Fire Chief Dan Johnson, who helped the fire department obtain a piece of steel from the World Trade Center wreckage that is encased in the 75th anniversary monument, said the emotional ceremony held on the front lawn of the firehouse will be even more sentimental this year because of the statue.
“Whether it’s a fire department in a big city or a small town, we’re all brothers,” Johnson said. “The piece of steel will add some significance because we actually have something tangible you can look at and reflect on.”
The ceremony will begin Sept. 11 at about 8:40 a.m. The gathering will end at about 9:10 a.m., Johnson said. Firefighters will line up with the American flag, and a bell-ringing session will precede a moment of silence for the fallen first responders.
“We’re not planning anything bigger than what we usually do every year,” Johnson said. “It’s a small gathering for the guys at the firehouse to help remember what the day means to all of us.”
The event is open to the public. Fire officials have had a memorial every year since 2002, according to Johnson, who said a firefighter read the name of every first responder who died in the attacks during the first year.
The ceremony since then has become a tradition attended each year by numerous residents who join firefighters and police and a handful of local officials to remember the significance of that day.
Following the ceremony, St. Rosalie Church, at 4401 N. Oak Park Ave., will celebrate a special Mass honoring local first responders at 10:30 a.m.
“Sometimes we forget the details of what happened that day, so it’s important that the new guys coming in feel the same bond as we do with the (NYC firefighters),” Johnson said. “We all do essentially the same job, where we risk ourselves for the benefit of others. Big or small, the fire burns the same.”
The Norwood Park Fire Protection District is at 7447 W. Lawrence Ave., Harwood Heights.
Natalie Hayes is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
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