09/11/2026
Today, the Kingsford-Union Volunteer Fire Department joins our nation in remembering the lives lost on September 11, 2001.
Twenty-five years ago, our country experienced one of the darkest days in its history. Nearly 3,000 innocent people lost their lives, including 343 members of the FDNY, 23 members of the NYPD, and 37 members of the Port Authority Police Department.
For the fire service, September 11 carries a weight that words can never fully express.
While thousands were desperately trying to escape the World Trade Center, firefighters, police officers, EMS personnel, and other first responders were moving toward the danger. They climbed stairwells carrying heavy equipment, assisted the injured, guided people to safety, and continued upward knowing the tremendous danger ahead.
Many never came back down.
The courage and sacrifice demonstrated that morning remain an enduring example of what it means to serve others. We also remember the countless first responders, recovery workers, and survivors who later became ill or lost their lives as a result of their exposure at Ground Zero.
Today, we remember every victim.
We remember the firefighters who answered their final alarm.
We remember the police officers, EMS personnel, military members, dispatchers, and civilians who demonstrated extraordinary courage.
We remember the families who left home that morning expecting their loved ones to return.
And we remember how, in the days that followed, Americans stood together.
May we never allow the passing of time to diminish the significance of September 11, 2001, or the sacrifices made that day and in the years that followed.
Never Forget is more than a phrase. It is a promise.
We remember. We honor. We will never forget.
