Middletown firefighters are pitching in extra hours to honor lives lost on 9/11.
The South District Fire Department on is showing its "south-side pride” by erecting a 9/11 memorial outside the firehouse on Randolph Road.
The memorial plaza, which will include part of a steel beam from the World Trade Center's North Tower, has been a work in progress for the past five years.
The South District Fire Department has spent the last few months collecting monetary and material donations to create the memorial, including a crane, a concrete pedestal for the steel beam and a number of granite benches.
The department is one of 2,000 designated curators of artifacts from the Twin Towers collapse. The application process for the North Tower artifact alone took over two years.
“This memorial will honor the fallen heroes of 9/11 and will help insure that the residents of Middletown never forget the events of that day,” said fire Capt. Michael Howley, the memorial committee spokesperson.
Local residents are encouraged to purchase memorial bricks, which range from $75 to $300 and are tax deductible. The first order is expected to be installed in early August, Howley said.
After the memorial is finished, remaining proceeds will be donated to benefit the families of New York firefighters who died or were injured on 9/11.
A formal dedication will take place on the 12th anniversary of the attack.
Bricks can be ordered at the district’s website. More information is available from Capt. Howley at 860-347-6661.
Photo Credit: South Fire District of Middletown