In commemoration of the 15th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and other locations in the United States, Jersey City officials will join residents and public safety personnel for their annual ceremony at the memorial at the foot of Grand Street shortly after 8 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 11.
Organized by the Jersey City 9/11 Memorial Committee, the 15th Annual Reflections ceremony will honor the 37 Jersey City residents who went to work that morning and never came home, as well as the near 3,000 people in total who lost their lives in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the downed airliners.
For many who witnessed the attack and its aftermath, the moment has been etched in their memories of where they were and what they were doing.
Councilman Richard Boggiano said he remembers standing at Exchange Place after the attacks, and how courageous people were in their response to helping the victims.
Over time, crowds attending the commemorative events have diminished, and new generations of residents, too young to have had a personal connection to the events, have moved in.
Mayor Steven Fulop, however, said the city would remain vigilant, as each level of government maintained safeguards against a possible future attack. Fulop was working in financial service in downtown Manhattan on Sept. 11, 2001 and felt the ground shake.
At the time, Fulop was so moved by the events that he joined the U.S. Marines and served a tour of duty in the subsequent conflict in Iraq.
Fulop said not all the victims died on that tragic day. Many rescue workers and others who helped clear the debris continued to succumb long after the smoke and dust had cleared.
In a statement at last year’s ceremony, 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.
The ceremony
A ceremony at the city’s main memorial monument will begin on Sunday, Sept. 11 at 8:20 a.m.
As part of the annual ceremony, firefighters will hoist a large American flag atop fire ladders over Grand Street on the Hudson River, near the rusted steel beams that make up Jersey City’s monument to the victims of 9/11. Bagpipe music will echo between the buildings. This will be followed by comments, musical performances, and recollections by residents and public officials.
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.
“September 11th is a day we will never forget in Jersey City, as our lives and our world changed forever that day.” – Steven Fulop
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A bell will toll at the reading of the names of the 37 Jersey City residents who perished as a result of the attacks. There will be two moments of silence marking when each of the planes struck, one at 8:46 a.m. when the first plane hit the North Tower and again at 9:03 a.m. when the second plane hit the South Tower.
In the past, a fire boat from North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue has sprayed the air with red, white, and blue plumes of water.
Jersey City was the first point of refuge for hundreds of people who evacuated the World Trade Center and lower Manhattan on Sept. 11, 2001, with the city playing a critical role in the response and recovery efforts. EMS and medical personnel from Jersey City Medical Center and Christ Hospital treated the walking wounded and other victims who were ferried across the Hudson River. That day and in the days following, hundreds of Jersey City residents and office workers set up refuge and volunteer stations at Exchange Place and in Liberty State Park to load first aid products and other supplies onto ferries headed to Ground Zero.
“September 11th is a day we will never forget in Jersey City, as our lives and our world changed forever that day,” said Fulop. “Just like our first responders and residents came together as a community on 9/11 to provide relief and aid, today we are continuing to stand as a city to offer life saving assistance to those who need it most.”
On the day of the attack, 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: Alok Agarwal, Ivan F. Barbosa, Sherry Ann Bordeaux, Edward Calderon, Swarna Chalasani, John R. Cruz, Jemal L. DeSantis, Andrea Della Bella, Christopher Dincuff, Samantha Egan, Barbara G. Etzold, Nancy C. Farley, Anne Marie Sallerin Ferreira, Boyd A. Gatton, Rosa J. Gonzalez, John Keohane, SeiLai Khoo, Andrew La Corte, Leon Lebor, Wei Rong Lin, Alan Linton, Jerome R. Lohez, Manuel L. Lopez, Joseph L. Lovero, Waleska Martinez, Francis J. Nazario, Angel Perez, Susan M. Pollio, Aida Rosario, Jon Schlissel, Thomas F. Swift, Mary Ellen Tiesi, Zhanetta Tsoy, Edward R. Vanacore, Nathaniel Webb, John C. Willett, Siu Cheng Wong and Matthew D. Yarnell.
Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com
Side bar
Second annual 9/11 memorial blood drive
The American Red Cross Penn-Jersey Blood Services Region is partnering once again with the Jersey City Police and Fire departments to host the second annual Jersey City Police and Fire 9/11 Memorial blood drive on Monday, Sept. 12 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in honor of those who lost their lives in the 2001 terrorist attacks. The blood drive venue will be located in the Palisades and Liberty Rooms at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Jersey City. Parking will be validated for all donors at One Parking located at 10 Exchange Place, Jersey City. This drive is part of a nationwide agreement the Red Cross has with 9/11 Day, which is the largest charitable initiative in the United States.
“As we commemorate the 15th anniversary of the attacks on 9/11, it is our hope that the opportunity to give the gift of life will serve to continue the healing process for everyone impacted by this unthinkable tragedy,” said Guy Triano, donor recruitment director, Red Cross Penn-Jersey Blood Services Region. “We are so proud to honor the Jersey City Police and Fire Departments once again this year as they were some of many first responders and unsung heroes that day.”
Friends and family members of those lost on Sept. 11 are invited to take part in this special event to provide a positive way to mark the occasion while giving back to the community. Red Cross volunteers will also be attending the event to help spread the word about the importance of community preparedness. All presenting donors will receive a deluxe personal safety emergency pack, courtesy of Suburban Propane.
“We would like to sincerely thank Suburban Propane for their continued support of the Red Cross as well as the Hyatt Regency Hotel for generously donating the space to make this event possible,” said Donna M. Morrissey, director of national partnerships, Red Cross Biomedical Services. “Whether it is a hurricane or a heart attack; a call for blood or a call for help, the Red Cross is there to help, but we couldn’t fulfill our vital mission every day without the support of our generous partners.”
The Red Cross and 9/11 Day have partnered to encourage people across the country to give blood or host a blood drive as their way to remember and pay tribute to the Sept. 11 victims and those who rose in service in response to the attacks. Sept. 11 is the nation’s largest annual day of charitable engagement. Each year, tens of millions of people observe Sept. 11 by performing good deeds to help others.
9/11 Day, created in 2002 to honor the victims and heroes of 9/11, has grown to become the nation’s largest annual day of charitable engagement. Jay Winuk, one of the co-founders of 9/11 Day, lost his brother Glenn in the 9/11 attacks. Glenn, an attorney who worked in downtown Manhattan, served for almost 20 years as a volunteer firefighter and EMT, specially trained in rescue operations in collapsed buildings. After helping evacuate the Holland & Knight law offices where he worked, Glenn raced to the South Tower to help with rescue efforts. Glenn was lost in the line of duty when the tower collapsed. His remains were found six months later with a first-response medical kit by his side.
Volunteer blood donors of all blood types are currently needed. To make an appointment, download the free Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Jersey City Police and Fire 9/11 Memorial Blood Drive, Palisades/Liberty rooms at the Hyatt Regency Hotel 2 Exchange Place.