Temple Fire Department to Host Virtual 9/11 Memorial Service

Friday marks the 19th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Of the 2,977 people who lost their lives that day, 412 were emergency responders. Each year, police and fire departments across the nation hold ceremonies to honor the memory and service of those who ran toward the worst terror attack in American history with no regard for their own lives and safety, determined to help those who needed them.

2020 has taken a toll on American lives and our spirit, so these ceremonies feel especially poignant and necessary this year. Not only will they serve to honor the memory of those we've lost, but they'll (hopefully) be a reminder that we've weathered trying times before and emerged stronger and more determined to take care of one another.

Temple Fire & Rescue will continue their tradition of paying tribute. This year, their memorial service will be a virtual event streamed live on their Facebook page.

The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 8:55 AM. For more details, please visit their Facebook Events page.

In case you missed it, the traditional tribute to the fallen at Ground Zero in Manhattan will go on as scheduled. Back in August, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum announced that their Tribute in Light would not be held this year due to health and safety concerns. That decision was reversed days later after an intervention from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Understandably, not everyone will be able to tune in to Temple F&R's broadcast. If you can't, please at least take a moment Friday for quiet reflection in honor of those who lost their lives. No matter how politically divided we may all be right now, one thing we ought to be able to agree upon is that people who sacrificed their lives for the sake of others in the face of unspeakable horror deserve our admiration and respect.

A moment of silence is typically observed at 8:46 AM Eastern, marking the time at which American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower of the WTC. During that time, please keep alive the memory of the first responders, civilians, and those aboard the aircraft, including the passengers of United Airlines Flight 93, who rebelled against their hijackers.