Cranberry Twp. firefighters honor 9/11 victims at station’s memorial
CRANBERRY TWP — As the rain fell Sunday morning, Sept. 11, across Butler County, a group of Cranberry Township firefighters stood outside their Route 19 station for a somber ceremony honoring the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001.
"We try to do two-fold — remember the history and events that happened on Sept. 11 and honor those who lost their lives," said Bruce Hezlep, master firefighter and training officer.
At sunrise, Hezlep and fellow firefighters raised a giant U.S. flag in front of the station atop one of their vehicles with a tower extension.
"We put the flag up on September 11th, that afternoon, and we've done this every year on Sept. 11 since then."
In addition to the flag, members stood at attention as Assistant Chief John Pristas, attired in formal dress uniform, played taps on a trumpet near the department's own memorial.
"I think music creates all kinds of emotions for people," Pristas said. "For me, I would only pray that I could be as brave as those souls, marching into almost certain death, going up there and knowing that they had a job to do."
Pristas played taps a total of six times Sunday morning, one playing for each traumatic event that happened that day.
At 8:46 a.m., American Flight 11 hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. At 9:03 a.m., United Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower. At 9:40 a.m., American Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. At 9:59 a.m., the World Trade Center's South Tower collapsed. At 10:03 a.m., the hijacked United Airlines Flight 93 crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pa. Lastly, at 10:28 a.m., the World Trade Center's North Tower collapsed.
These times and events are engraved into the stone portion of the department's monument, which also features steel debris collected from the World Trade Center.
"It's an education tool. We want people to know what happened," Hezlep said. "There are certain high-water marks in American history, and this is one of them. This is the deadliest attack on American soil since Pearl Harbor. I think it's important to remember that."
Hezlep said the steel was acquired in 2011 through a process that was heavily vetted to ensure it was suitable to be used in proper tribute. In 2012, the department unveiled its memorial to the public.
Hezlep said he credited the Cranberry Township community, including clubs, churches and residents, who helped support the effort. He said the memorial was built entirely with the help of donations, and no taxpayer dollars were used for it.
Life member Jim Cole, who has been a firefighter since 1974, said he remembered watching the events of 9/11 transpire on television that day. He said there was almost an element of shock as days later, the severity of the incident deepened as the death toll rose.
"So many people lost their lives because of this attack," Cole said. "You also have to remember that innocent civilians were in the building too."
Cole said he is proud to be part of the ceremony and to have the memorial at their station.
"This is what brings America together. This is what America stands for, it's freedom. We're going to fight anybody who tries to take that away from us," Cole said.
