A meaningful reminder: 9/11 memorial dedicated at Idaho Falls Fire Department

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Published astatine 4:14 pm, September 11, 2024 | Updated astatine 4:15 pm, September 11, 2024

IDAHO FALLS — Local firefighters and nan organization came together to grant nan lives mislaid and nan courageousness shown connected 9/11 astatine a recently built memorial.

Over a 100 group came to nan Idaho Falls Fire Department Station 1 office connected Wednesday greeting for a intense dedication ceremony. Retired FDNY firefighters were besides successful attendance. The firefighters are giving tours astatine a 9/11 mobile exhibit. Click present for details.

RELATED | Hear stories from FDNY firefighters who worked connected 9/11 astatine mobile grounds visiting Idaho Falls

“Every time should beryllium cherished. Life is precious. 9/11 showed america it could alteration virtually successful a second,” retired FDNY Capt. Kevin Calhoun said astatine nan ceremony.

The memorial, which stands 12 feet tall, features 2 stainless alloy and granite towers pinch h2o flowing retired of them.

A portion of alloy salvaged from 1 of nan collapsed World Trade Center towers was acquired by members of nan Idaho Falls Fire Department much than 10 years ago.

“…a meaningful reminder of some nan lives mislaid and nan profound effect of those tragic events,” said Fire Chief Duane Nelson. “September 11, 2001, touched each of america successful profoundly individual ways.”

The Idaho Falls Fire Department and section scenery creator Nate Durtschi brought nan imagination and creation to fruition. He is known for ‘The Protector’ eagle statue successful Taylor Crossing and nan Rock Gardens by nan Pancheri Bridge.

Many different organizations including Rock Solid Hardscapes, Universal Stone, Paul Davis Restoration-Idaho Falls, QalTek, and Grizzly Electric helped.

Heroes Defense, a nonprofit organization, afloat funded nan beautiful display. Click here to study much astir them. The statement holds a 9/11 Tribute Banquet each twelvemonth to raise money to thief first responders.

“The reality is that each nan costs we get travel from nan community. So this is really built by nan community,” said Heroes Defense Co-Chair Travis Snowder.

At night, nan memorial is illuminated truthful group who locomotion aliases thrust by tin spot it. A dedicatory plaque will beryllium added to it successful nan coming months.

“I dream that this tribute and this memorial is thing that reminds america of nan corporate spot that we have. Let america stay patient successful our solidarity, remembering that our top spot lies successful our unity and resilience,” Nelson said.

Mayor Rebecca Casper pointed retired that location is symbolism successful nan h2o flowing from nan towers successful nan memorial. It made her deliberation of “continuous renewal.”

“This h2o is connected a loop. It’s caller and it’s caller each time. We request to continuously renew nan powerful memories of 9/11 and stock them pinch young people,” Casper said. “The valuable and powerful sentiments of patriotism are very important to share. The lessons of gratitude that mightiness come. The examples of bravery.”

Casper added there’s a mobility that gets asked connected 9/11 each year: do you retrieve wherever you were?

Calhoun talked astir his memories that time arsenic a firefighter. He was getting state successful his car erstwhile a level hit.

“There was a woman successful her car crying adjacent to me. I asked her what happened and she said a building was conscionable deed by a plane,” he said. “I sewage to nan road and I could spot nan Twin Towers. By nan clip I sewage to nan firehouse, nan 2nd building was hit.”

He knew group who died that time and told astir his friend.

“A jumper fell and deed him. He was killed immediately,” Calhoun recalls.

He said nan memorial is simply a reminder of nan 2,977 lives mislaid but to not look astatine it pinch sadness. It’s a spot wherever group tin travel and bespeak connected those who person fixed work and proceed to.

“There is simply a organization of heroes, and location is simply a organization down them that supports them,” Snowder added.

Another memorial is coming locally. In 2022, Bonneville County Fire District No. 1 Ammon Division received a portion of alloy from nan Twin Towers successful New York.

RELATED | Local firefighters person portion of 9/11 history and aid from nonprofit organization

Heroes Defense is presently moving connected completing nan memorial, which should beryllium done successful nan adjacent future. Check retired nan rendering below.