09/11/2026
🇺🇸 WE WILL NEVER FORGET 🇺🇸
Today, September 11th, we pause to remember the lives lost 25 years ago on a day that forever changed our nation.
We remember the innocent men, women, and children who never made it home. We remember the 343 firefighters, along with law enforcement officers, EMS personnel, military members, and countless ordinary Americans who ran toward danger to help others when they could have run away.
For those of us in the fire service, September 11th carries a meaning that is difficult to put into words. It is a reminder of the oath to serve, the bond shared among first responders, and the tremendous sacrifice that sometimes comes with answering the call.
Today, that remembrance feels especially heavy here at home as our neighbors in Independence, Kansas, deal with the aftermath of a heartbreaking house fire.
Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by today’s tragedy, their families and loved ones, and the firefighters, EMS personnel, law enforcement officers, dispatchers, and others who responded.
On a day when we remember some of the darkest hours our country has faced, we are once again reminded how quickly life can change and how important it is to stand beside our neighbors when tragedy strikes.
From all of us at Cherryvale Rural Fire, we ask you to keep the Independence community in your thoughts and prayers tonight.
Never forget those we lost.
Never forget those who answered the call.
And never take for granted the people you love.
🇺🇸 9•11•2001 — Never Forgotten 🇺🇸
