Dunkirk ceremony honors fallen heroes on 9/11
Dunkirk Fire Chief Nicholas Barter addressed a crowd of several dozen guests at the annual Sept. 11 ceremony hosted by the Dunkirk Professional Firefighters Association - IAFF Local 616 and the City of Dunkirk at Dunkirk Fire Headquarters on Eagle Street.
OBSERVER Photos by Braden Carmen More than a dozen Dunkirk firefighters participated in a ceremony on Friday morning in remembrance of the lives lost during the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11.
Several dozen citizens showed up to Dunkirk’s ceremony on Friday to remember the lives lost on Sept. 11 a quarter-century ago.
Dunkirk Fire Chief Nicholas Barter addressed a crowd of several dozen guests at the annual Sept. 11 ceremony hosted by the Dunkirk Professional Firefighters Association - IAFF Local 616 and the City of Dunkirk at Dunkirk Fire Headquarters on Eagle Street.
OBSERVER Photos by Braden Carmen More than a dozen Dunkirk firefighters participated in a ceremony on Friday morning in remembrance of the lives lost during the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11.
Several dozen citizens showed up to Dunkirk’s ceremony on Friday to remember the lives lost on Sept. 11 a quarter-century ago.
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City of Dunkirk Fire Chief Nicholas Barter encapsulated the meaning of a ceremony Friday morning at Dunkirk Fire Headquarters with a simple statement.
"For us, yesterday is history. Tomorrow is an opportunity," Barter said. "Today, we remember."
Barter spoke Friday morning of the 2,977 people who lost their lives as a result of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. A quarter-century later, the lives lost and the true heroism shown that day is still remembered.
"We remember those who lost their lives, and remember those who gave their lives," Barter said. "2,977 people had their opportunity to have a tomorrow taken from them on Sept. 11, 2001. We may not have known them, but we haven't forgotten them."
Barter was one of a few speakers who addressed several dozen citizens gathered Friday morning at Dunkirk Fire Headquarters on Eagle Street for the annual ceremony on Sept. 11 in the city. The 20-minute ceremony featured multiple speeches, a live performance of the national anthem, and opening and closing prayers. A trumpet played following the ringing of a bell to honor the lives that were lost on Sept. 11. The ceremony was hosted by the Dunkirk Professional Firefighters Association – IAFF Local 616 and the City of Dunkirk.
Barter stated that the 25 years since the 9/11 attacks amounts to 300 months, or more than 9,100 days. "It is a considerable amount of time when you take a moment to think about it, but at the same time, it's amazing how seemingly fast this time has passed by," Barter said. "Think about your own life and how much you've experienced in that amount of time."
Barter continued, "Certainly, everyone has times of excitement, joy, happiness, but also disappointment, grief, sorrow. Don't take any of it for granted."
Barter challenged everyone in attendance at Friday's ceremony to imagine what the people who lost their lives on 9/11 went through in their final moments.
"The next time you go to make a phone call, think about the people that called loved ones that day, knowing they would never see them again. The next time you're in a stairwell, think of the firefighters that had to climb dozens of floors to try and rescue as many people as possible. Think of the law enforcement officers trying to maintain order amidst chaos. Think of our armed forces who sought those responsible," Barter said. "Try to put yourself in their shoes. What would you think? What would you do? How would you feel?"
Barter later shared the story of Michael Cammarata, a firefighter with the New York City Fire Department for only a couple of months before 9/11. He lost his life at the age of 22.
Barter read from Cammarata's eulogy shared by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. An excerpt that Barter read stated, "Knowing Mike means being able to say that he went to the World Trade Center that day knowing he may not be coming home. But he did it to save countless lives. Some families may still have a child. Children may have a mother or a father‚ thanks to Mike and all the other FDNY‚ NYPD and EMS workers from September 11‚ 2001. Michael truly is New York's bravest."
Cammarata's complete eulogy is available online at www.firehero.org/fallen-firefighter/michael-f-cammarata/