Community members and elected officials joined firefighters and other first responders at the Fallen Firefighter Memorial Park in downtown Edmonds Tuesday to view a steel beam recovered from the ruins of the World Trade Center.
The 2,018-pound, 8-foot-long steel beam will become the centerpiece of a Fallen Firefighter memorial to be built at the park, which is located adjacent to Fire Station 17 on 6th Avenue North.
A motorcade of officers from the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, Lynnwood Police Department and Edmonds Police Department escorted a truck transporting the beam to the fire station from Fire District 1 Headquarters in Everett. The ceremony included a presentation of the colors and flag-raising by the Fire District 1 Honor Guard and music by the Snohomish County Firefighters Pipes and Drums.
The beam was placed onto a display cart that firefighters rolled into the fire station. The beam will remain on public display until the memorial is built, a cooperative effort involving Fire District 1, the City of Edmonds, International Association of Firefighters Local 1828, the Fire 1 Foundation and the community.
Fire District 1, through an effort launched two years ago by former employee Catherine Russell, obtained the World Trade Center steel beam to be incorporated in a memorial honoring all those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001. Members of IAFF Local 1828 took on the project and arranged with the City of Edmonds for the memorial to be constructed and maintained at the Fallen Firefighter Memorial Park.
Firefighter Dave Erickson traveled to New York l to take ownership of the steel beam on behalf of Fire District 1, and with help from New York firefighters transported the beam to a FedEx facility, which provided free shipping.
The memorial honoring victims of the Sept.11 attack will be paid for entirely with donations and no public funds will be used for construction. Donations can be made to the Fire 1 Foundation, PO Box 12915, Everett WA 98206.
You can see all of Bryan Briscoe’s photos on the My Edmonds News Facebook Page.
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