09/11/2026
Good morning, everyone.
Today, we gather with heavy hearts to remember a day that changed our nation forever.
Twenty-five years ago, on September 11, 2001, our country witnessed an act of unimaginable evil. But in the
darkness and confusion of that morning, we also witnessed something extraordinary—the courage,
sacrifice, and brotherhood of first responders.
Firefighters, police officers, paramedics, and other emergency personnel ran toward danger while millions
of others were running away from it.
They climbed the stairs of the World Trade Center knowing they might never come back down.
They answered calls knowing the situation was unlike anything they had ever faced.
They went in because someone needed help.
That is what we do.
As firefighters, we understand that the badge, the helmet, and the uniform are more than symbols. They
represent a promise—a promise to stand between danger and the people we serve.
On September 11th, 343 firefighters and paramedics made the ultimate sacrifice. They were brothers and
sisters, fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, friends and neighbors.
They were chiefs, officers, firefighters, and recruits.
They were ordinary people who did an extraordinary thing.
They answered the call.
And while we remember the 343, we must also remember the thousands of others who lost their lives that
day, the law enforcement officers, emergency medical personnel, military personnel, and innocent civilians
who never got the chance to go home.
We remember the families who waited for loved ones who never returned.
We remember the firefighters who stood in the rubble for days, searching for survivors and for their
brothers.
We remember the people who carried strangers to safety.
We remember the American flag rising from the ashes.
And we remember that even in our darkest hour, people came together.
September 11th reminds us that our job is not simply about fighting fires.
It is about service.
It is about courage when we are afraid.
It is about compassion when people are at their lowest.
And most importantly, it is about making sure that when someone calls for help, they know someone is
coming.
As fire chief, I ask every member of our department to remember the responsibility that comes with
wearing this uniform.
We may never know when our September 11th will come.
But when that alarm sounds, we will answer.
When someone is trapped, we will go in.
When our community needs us, we will stand together.
And when the time comes to pass this profession on to the next generation, we will teach them not only
how to be firefighters, but why we serve , let us remember the 2,977 innocent souls who were taken from us.
Let us remember the 343 firefighters and paramedics who gave everything.
Let us remember the police officers, emergency responders, military personnel, and ordinary citizens who
showed extraordinary courage.
And let us remember the families who continue to carry that loss every single day.
Twenty-five years have passed, but we will never forget.
We will speak their names.
We will tell their stories.
We will honor their sacrifice.
And we will continue to serve.
Because the greatest way we can honor those who gave their lives is to live up to the standard they left
behind.
Never forget.
May God bless the families who continue to grieve.
May God bless our first responders.
And may God bless the United States of America.
We remember. We honor. We will never forget
Chief Robert Barker
