09/11/2026
Message from the Chief: 25 Years Later, We Remember
September 11 is a day that stands apart from every other day of remembrance. For those of us who witnessed it, the memories are always close. We remember exactly where we were, what we were doing, and the shock we felt as we realized our country was under attack. This day changed us—and our nation—forever.
By September 11, 2001, I’d already spent years serving our country, first in the U.S. Navy, then several years in law enforcement. I knew what it meant to show up when called, to accept the responsibility of the uniform, and to be ready for whatever the night might bring.
But nothing in my years of service, military or police, could have prepared me for what we saw that morning.
Like everyone else, I watched the terrible images from New York City, the Pentagon, and that field in Pennsylvania. I saw police officers, firefighters, paramedics, and everyday people step up when it mattered most, in the face of the unthinkable.
As a police officer, I didn’t see strangers rushing into those burning buildings; I saw my first responder brothers and sisters doing what they promised to do: helping people, no matter the risk. Many didn’t make it back home to their families.
September 11 also showed us that courage isn’t just about wearing a uniform. It was in the passengers on Flight 93, office workers helping each other escape, strangers carrying the injured, and people opening their doors and businesses to lend a hand.
The days that followed brought grief and uncertainty, but they also brought countless acts of kindness. American flags hung in neighborhoods, people gathered to pray, blood donation centers were packed, and neighbors checked in on each other. Differences faded into the background as each of us focused on what mattered most: caring for one another, supporting our country, and mourning those we lost in such a devastating attack.
It’s hard to believe twenty-five years have passed. The kids born in 2001 are adults now. Many who serve today, whether in the military, fire departments, EMS, or law enforcement, were too young to remember, or weren’t even born yet, when it happened.
That makes our responsibility even greater. It’s up to us to keep telling the story of September 11, and to make sure its lessons are never forgotten. We need to help younger generations understand not just the heartbreak of that day, but also the bravery, sacrifice, and unity that followed. We owe it to the victims, to the first responders who risked and gave everything, to the service members who stepped up in the years that followed, and to all those who still carry the weight of that morning.
For those of us in public safety, September 11 is a constant reminder of why we serve. It calls us to stay prepared, to lead with compassion, to act with integrity, and to have the courage to step up whenever our community needs us. That’s what it means to wear the uniform.
Today, I ask our Burnet community to pause and remember. Remember the lives lost. Remember the families who never had the chance to say goodbye. Remember the first responders who ran toward danger. Remember the members of our military who served and sacrificed in the years that followed.
Most of all, remember how Americans cared for one another after one of our nation’s darkest days.
Twenty-five years later, we still remember. We still honor them. We must never forget.
