DeKalb fire, city leaders remember 9/11 tragedy

DeKALB – It was a solemn occasion not taken lightly by those gathered Monday morning at DeKalb Fire Station No. 1 to remember the sacrifices and memories of lives lost in the Sept. 11, 2001 tragedy that shook the nation.

Programming for the DeKalb Fire Department’s annual Patriot Day Ceremony got underway at 8 a.m. sharp.

Among those in attendance were Mayor Cohen Barnes, City Manager Bill Nicklas and 2nd Ward Alderwoman Barb Larson.

In his remarks, Fire Chief Mike Thomas recounted the toll that the attack had on the nation from the onset.

“All on board and an unknown number in the building are killed instantly,” Thomas said.

As time went on and more lives lost, Thomas remarked that thousands more were injured and suffered long-term health effects.

Thomas said it’s important that no one forgets what happened on this day in history.

“Twenty-two years later our profession should always remember and recognize the sacrifices made by first responders who sacrificed their lives so others could live,” Thomas said.

As part of the program, fire officials raised a 9/11 Memorial Flag honoring the 343 firefighters that died that day. Nearly 3,000 people were killed when hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field, in an attack that reshaped American foreign policy and domestic fears, The Associated Press reported.

After the ceremony, attendees enjoyed light refreshments and a bit of conversation.

Larson said she felt compelled to attend Monday’s program to do her part to memorialize those lost.

“As an American, I think it doesn’t matter how many years go by, you have to remember where you come from and honor all those,” Larson said.

Larson recalled being at home on this day in history.

“I was in my kitchen getting my kids ready for school and watched it all unfold on the television,” Larson said. “It was very sad.”

Larson said the ceremony was very moving for her.

“It just brings back that day, exactly what I was feeling,” Larson said. “During that ceremony, I was right back in my kitchen just devastated. It was hard. Yet people are still dying. Firefighters are still dying from diseases that they’ve gotten because they were in all the dust and the debris helping everybody else.”

Battalion Chief Todd Stoffa, who is a 25-year veteran of the fire department, said it is “extremely humbling” to reflect on the tragic events that transpired on Sept. 11, 2001 and the aftermath.

“Members from DeKalb were out there on or off for about a month attending funerals or doing honor guard details,” Stoffa said. “Some of us had the honor of working down at Ground Zero a little bit while we were there.”

Stoffa, recounting his experience of being in New York City following the tragic events of 9/11, said it was sad but moving the way the community came together.

“What you saw on TV, we obviously weren’t experiencing here but as soon as we landed and stepped off the plane in New York City, you could feel in the air that there was something different,” Staffa said. “From the minute we stepped foot into New York City, the community banded around any uniformed personnel understanding that we were there to help. Fellow citizens were just so gracious trying to provide meals, provide transport, asking where we were trying to get to, what funeral we were going. Along with New York City Fire Department, they took care of us knowing that we were there to help. We were there to attend as many funerals as possible.”

Stoffa said some days, he and fellow DeKalb firefighters were called upon to attend up to six funerals in a single day while they were there.

“It’s just part of the job,” Stoffa said. “It’s what we do whether it’s here, whether it’s across the country. Our members always attend line-of-duty deaths for other members. It’s what we do. That was just on a much larger scale.”

Stoffa said he is fortunate that the events of Sept. 11 haven’t impacted the way he carries out his duties from day to day.

“We’re always pushing to strive for the best,” Stoffa said. “That’s what we do when we sign up to become a firefighter. It doesn’t really change. We just keep pushing forward.”