A moment of silence on Sept. 11 has become a tradition at Collingwood Fire Department.
Typically it's observed by the crew on duty, but this year, to mark the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in the US, most off-duty firefighters and some who have already retired from the service, returned to the fire station for the quiet memorial.
Deputy Fire Chief Dan Thurman said there were about 35 people at the station in the morning on Sept. 11, 2021. They observed a moment of silence together.
Thurman said he used the time to reflect on the brotherhood of firefighters.
On Sept. 11, 2001, 2,977 people were killed in the terrorist attacks that destroyed the two towers of the World Trade Centre. Among the victims were 412 emergency workers, a majority were firefighters from the New York City Fire Department.
One thing missing from the Collingwood memorial service this year was the gathering after the moment of silence. Because of COVID protocols, there was no socializing among the firefighters this year. Thurman said he missed being able to talk about everyone's memories and experiences from that day.
He was working for the Mississauga Fire Department at the time and was on the night shift. The city was locked down, as people feared there would be more attacks on places such as the CN Tower.
