A group of about 60 people gathered in at the fire house in Tullytown on Monday evening to remember and pay respects to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and those who lost their lives in the attacks.
The theme of the 16th anniversary memorial ceremony centered on remembering the first responders who sacrificed everything on September 11. Speakers from Tullytown, Falls Township, Bucks County, the Pennsbury School District and the United States Army joined together to deliver remarks on the importance of honoring and remembering those lost in the attacks.
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“They didn’t run, they didn’t hide. They pressed on,” said Tullytown police Sgt. Phil Kulan, remarking on the heroism displayed by the first responders of September 11.
The best way to honor those lost, reasoned Kulan, is to remember the attacks and those who served as though it happened yesterday instead of 16 years ago.
Throughout the ceremony and between speakers, the Men of Harmony took to song to perform patriotic songs and songs honoring the military.
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“When that tragic thing happened, shortly after it, something happened within the United States,” said Mike Bannon, the director of the Bucks County department of consumer protection. That shift, Bannon explained, was the total unification of citizens. It did not matter political ideology, or anything else. After the attacks, Americans were united.
Charity and blood donations skyrocketed, while it seemed like every home had an American flag out front, Bannon recalled.
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“I also learned how important it is to support our emergency responders,” Bannon said, noting that emergency responders deserve support every day, and not only on traumatic disasters. “The important thing for me is that the first responders are appreciated every single day.”
“There are days in our history that should never leave our hearts,” started Bob Harvie, the chairman of the Falls Township Board of Supervisors.
“Families were changed forever, as was our young nation and our sense of security and safety,” said Dr. William Gretzula, the keynote speaker and superintendent of the Pennsbury School District.
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Gretzula went on to explain how students throughout the school district are learning about and respecting the day, even if they weren’t alive for the actual attacks.
Of the nearly 3,000 people lost on September 11, 343 firefighters lost their lives. 23 police officers, 37 port authority officers, 58 Pennsylvanians and 18 Bucks County residents lost their lives.
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