VIDEO: Thursday marked 24 years since the terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Every year, first responders across St. Joseph County gather at St. Patrick’s County Park for a Ringing of the Bell ceremony to honor the fallen. At Thursday’s ceremony, the bell was rung in a sequence of 3-4-3 to honor the 343 fallen firefighters, followed by 6 for the 60 law enforcement lives lost.
“I just want everyone to take a second out of this day, regardless whether you knew anyone or not that was a part of the history of this event, to say a prayer for their families, say a prayer for the men and women that are still serving today doing the same things that was done 24 years ago,” says South Bend Fire Chief Carl Buchanon. The ceremony took place at the park’s ‘Standing Tall’ Freedom Memorial. A section of steel beam from Ground Zero in New York City has been on display in front of the memorial since 2003.
