Storm clouds rolled over the Manhattan skyline after dumping heavy rains on Jersey City, adding to the somber mood of the 14th annual 9/11 Memorial Day Service, “Reflections,” on Friday.
Mayor Steven Fulop stood before the city’s 9/11 monument at the end of Grand Street and noted that the crowds seemed to diminish as the years passed.
But he vowed to maintain vigilance. He said public officials at each level of government have put into place safeguards to help if, “God forbid, we should suffer another attack like 9/11.”
After so many years, people also seem to recognize that the victims didn’t only die on that horrible day in 2001 but continued to succumb long after the smoke and dust had cleared.
John Guarini, chairman of the 9/11 Committee of Jersey City, said more than 1,100 people died after they responded to Ground Zero, the pile of debris left after the collapse of the Twin Towers, and many more remain ill from the chemicals they breathed during the cleanup.
“When everybody was running away from danger, our first responders ran to danger.” – Sen. Robert Menendez
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“When everybody was running away from danger, our first responders ran to danger,” Menendez said, paying tribute to the police, fire and EMTs who perished in the attack. But he noted many people who responded to the disaster need help, and it was up to the government to help them.
Although the medical benefits have elapsed, Congress is required to renew them so assistance will continue to those victims.
With Old Glory perched atop two fire ladders over Grand Street leading to the rusted steel beams comprising Jersey City’s monument to the victims of 9/11, bagpipe music echoed between the buildings. Police, fire and other public safety officials saluted and presented colors, followed by a rendition of John Lennon’s song “Imagine.”
The monument at the Grand Street waterfront was created from twisted beams salvaged from the ruins of the former World Trade Center towers, each from a different part of the structure, all together forming the shape of the letter A to stand for America.
8:46 a.m. and again at 9:03 a.m.
Although the foot of Grand Street was alive with the sound of music and voices on Sept. 11, everything stopped for a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m., the moment the first plane struck the North Tower. All faces turned toward the New York skyline as a fire boat from North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue sprayed the air with red, white and blue plumes of water. This was repeated at 9:03 a.m. to mark the moment the second plane hit the South Tower.
Jersey City lost 37 residents as a result of the attack, but thousands were witnesses or were caught in the dust when the two towers fell.
That day, Jersey City became a staging ground for recovery and relief efforts, although it soon became clear that either people survived or they died. There were far fewer injured as a result of the attack than first responders expected.
A stone like a grave marker stands near the waterfront with the names of the 37 people etched on it. Many firefighters and others went over to help with the rescue efforts on the Manhattan side.
Various members of the 9/11 Committee read the names of the victims as a bell tolled for each one.
Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com.