A Message from NCSFA’s Board President, Captain Doug Bissette, Pinetown VFD

I can still remember being in between classes when we began hearing about what was happening in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania.

At the time, we didn’t fully understand what we were watching.

But we knew something had changed.

Today, on the 25th anniversary of September 11th, we pause to remember not only the 343 members of the FDNY who made the ultimate sacrifice on that day, but also those who have died from 9-11 related illnesses.

We remember the police officers, EMTs, paramedics, military personnel, and the thousands of innocent people who lost their lives. We remember the families who never got their loved ones back. We also remember the firefighters and first responders who survived that day but continue to carry its physical and emotional scars.

But September 11th is also a story about courage.

It’s a story about people running toward danger while everyone else was trying to get away.

It’s a story about sacrifice, brotherhood, and the willingness to put someone else’s life ahead of your own.

And 25 years later, the fire service is different because of what we learned that day.

We’ve improved our training and our communications.

We’ve improved accountability, incident command, building intelligence, firefighter health and safety, and the way we work together across agencies and jurisdictions.

We’ve learned that preparation and communication matter.

And we’ve learned that when the worst happens, we have to be ready to stand together.

I am proud of the men and women who continue to answer that call every day across our state.

But today isn’t about us.

Today is about them.

The 343.

The thousands of first responders.

The civilians who never made it home.

And the families who have carried their loss for 25 years.

Twenty-five years have passed.

A generation has grown up since that day.

But our responsibility remains the same:

Remember. Learn. Serve.

We remember those we lost.

We learn from the sacrifices they made.

And we serve our communities in their honor.

To the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice on September 11, 2001–

On this twenty-fifth anniversary, we haven’t forgotten you; we will never forget.

September 11, 2001.