WABC - New York, NY
(Albany-AP, October 9, 2001) -- An annual ceremony held Tuesday to add 30 names to a memorial for fallen firefighters was more solemn with the knowledge that next year 10 times as many will be inscribed because of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Enshrined in the New York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Albany were 30 firefighters who died in past years and who were recognized by state officials last year. Among them were five who died in 2000: Frederick Brain of the Miller Place Fire Department in Suffolk County, Kenneth Kerr of the New York City Fire Department, Charles E.H. Lauber Jr. of the Smithtown Fire Department in Suffolk County, Bernard Scannell of the Waterloo Fire Department in Seneca County, and Keith Purcell of the Southold Fire Department in Suffolk County.
"So often we take for granted what firefighters do and it takes a disaster for people to realize what firefighters go through," said Curt Meyhoeffer, chaplain of the Southold Fire Department.
The 347 firefighters who died Sept. 11 total almost 20 percent of the names now engraved on the 54- by 15-foot granite wall of firefighters who died statewide since the 19th century.
"I've watched grieving firefighters laboring at the scene of the disaster without rest day in and day out, digging, searching, hoping for a miracle," Gov. George Pataki said. "I've witnessed people coming together, united in sorrow, but united also in purpose, united in the heroic example of firefighters who taught us all what duty means, what courage is. How great a love they had."
Pataki said firefighters have helped renew the spirit of America. "The world has been inspired by the spirit of those firefighters. We will be a better state, a better country because of the sacrifice that they made to save other lives."
"Today," said Assemblyman John McEneny, "we look at the wall and realize it is scarcely large enough."
McEneny spoke for Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who was working with constituents in his district that includes the World Trade Center site.
"Firefighters have their priorities straight. They have a sense of humanity and a oneness for all people," McEneny said.
More than 100 volunteer and uniformed firefighters attended from throughout the state. A Utah firefighter also presented a wreath at the monument. The bronze sculpture, burnished in black, portrays two firefighters struggling to half-drag, half-carry a third firefighter, arms under his shoulders, away from the memorial wall.
"When this monument was dedicated several years ago, we couldn't fully appreciate the vision that is represented here of firefighters carrying a fallen comrade," Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno said.
He said the massive sculpture brings to mind another scene _ "the vision of firefighters going up the stairs with survivors four weeks ago, meeting firefighters on the 40th floor, the 50th floor, going up into the heart of an inferno, for what purpose? To save others, to help others, and they did, by the thousands.
"So what can we say to the families, other than, `Thank you.' We, the rest of us, will never forget," Bruno said.
Firefighter Kimberly Wheeler, 26, of the small Saratoga County city of Mechanicville, said it was important to attend the ceremony, especially after Sept. 11. She said that since then, she approaches fires differently.
"You realize all those people who died," said Wheeler, her 2-year-old daughter, Christina, in a stroller. Asked if she'd leave firefighting, her answer was immediate. "No."
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