09/11/2026
Twenty-five years ago today, our nation changed forever.
On September 11, 2001, 2,977 innocent lives were taken in New York City, at the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Among those lost were 343 FDNY firefighters, 71 law enforcement officers, and 8 emergency medical service personnel who ran directly toward danger without hesitation, answering their final alarm in service to their fellow citizens.
Today, Hancock Field Fire & Emergency Services stands in solemn reflection to honor every innocent civilian, service member, and first responder who made the ultimate sacrifice. Their bravery and devotion to duty remain the benchmark of our calling.
Our duty to remember does not end with that fateful morning. For twenty-five years, first responders, construction trades, and volunteers who answered the call for rescue and recovery operations at Ground Zero, the Pentagon, and the Fresh Kills Landfill have endured catastrophic health consequences. Exposure to toxic airborne debris has claimed thousands more lives from 9/11-related illnesses, cancers, and respiratory failure, while many more continue to battle debilitating conditions each day. We honor their continued resilience, remember those lost in the decades since, and reaffirm our commitment to their care.
As New York firefighters and military service members, we carry the torch of remembrance forward. We remember the fallen, we support those still fighting, and we reaffirm our sacred promise:
We will never forget.
#343
