September 11, 2001 Remembered

La Feria Represented at Ceremony

On the 15th anniversary of the horrific attack on the twin towers in New York city, the nation paused to remember the sacrifices of a multitude of brave firefighters, police officers and other first responder who ran into danger on that fateful date in 2001 to save others knowing they might becomes victims themselves. Many of them did in fact lose their lives.

Records show 2,996 innocent people died in the collapse of the twin towers, 6,000 more were wounded. Some first-responders still vividly remember hearing the thud of bodies striking the ground as victims fell, screaming trying to escape the flames. It’s been 15 years, but the memory remains.

On the anniversary of the event, City Commissioner Eric Hoff and American Legion Commander Harlan Lucas and member J C Moore joined with fellow Valley firefighters, law enforcement officers and interested citizens to commemorate the tragic, history-making terror attack in New York that shook the nation. Commissioner Hoff also was a member of the color guard.

The solemn ceremony took place at Park Place Estates in Harlingen. The event was organized by Peter Douglas, Past and Regional Commander of American Legion Post #205 and supported by VFW Post 2410. The Harlingen Fire Department provided the station bell and a fire truck for the occasion.

Eddie Solis, candidate for Constable Pct 5, led the candle lighting ceremony during the solemn commemoration.

The time-honored Bell Ceremony was conducted by members of the Harlingen Fire Department in full uniform. The slow striking three times of the station bell followed by three muffled strikes of the bell follows a tradition with a long history. It goes back as far as l865 when the ceremony was used at the funeral of assassinated president Abraham Lincoln. It reminds the participants of the sacrifice of their fallen comrades.

Commissioner Hoff said, “It is important that we never forget the tragedy and sacrifices made on that day.”