10-3-2014(Camden County)WESTMONT 911 Memorial Ceremony
On Friday the members of the Westmont Fire Company #1 unveiled the 911 memorial out front of their station during a ceremony. The members worked to acquire pieces of the World Trade Center and create the memorial that will forever stand in front of their station. A Haddon Township resident that was a surviver of that day who was in the Towers when the plane hit spoke of the incident. A Haddon Township family member spoke of his sister who was not able to make it out that day. The Fire Company recognized all the businesses who donated their supplies and time to make this memorial possible. The memorial is located in front of the Westmont Fire Company. --Photos NJFG Ted Aurig
Speech from Firefighter EMT Matt Gallagher, Westmont Fire Company would also like to extend special thanks and appreciation to the United States Department of Defense, The National Parks Service, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Without their cooperation, this memorial would not have been possible.
We would also like to thank the invaluable assistance of the following people and agencies: Mayor Teague, Commissioner Dougherty and Commissioner Foley; Haddon Township Public Works Superintendent Jim Stevenson and the men of his department; Diener Brick who donated the brick for the pedestals you see here; Stouts Metal who donated their services welding the steel to the pedestals for the World Trade Center Memorial; and Conroy’s Corner who donated the specialized epoxy coating preserving the World Trade Center in the condition that we received it from the Port Authority of NY & NJ. We'd also like to thank The Ritz Theatre's Lighting Designer Christopher Miller and our architectural consultant Kelly Brennan. Special thanks goes to our mason, Mike Narrone of Narrone Construction, who with his understanding of the importance of this project and his remarkable attention to detail, this memorial will stand for many, many years to come. We would also like to thank the numerous other merchants that discounted or donated materials used in the memorial.
In the days after September 11th, our members became involved in the efforts in lower Manhattan. Our ambulance was deployed to New York City and was tasked with the duty of transporting firefighters to nearby hospitals that were injured while searching Ground Zero. Members that staffed the ambulance were Rescue Lt. John Vernon, Firefighter/Paramedic Brian Ball, and EMT Julie Hoey. Also, our Assistant Chief, Hank Voightsberger, was deployed for a week with NJ Task Force 1, the New Jersey State Police Urban Search and Rescue Team. There, he and the rest of NJTF1 aided in the recovery operation.
This memorial is dedicated to all of the fire, EMS, police, and military personnel that answered the call that day and to the memory of nearly 3,000 people that left home that fateful morning, not knowing that they would never see their families again. Among those that lost their lives included Danielle Kousoulis, a Haddon Township resident and 1989 Graduate of Haddon Township High School. She had a very bright future and was working for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 104th floor of the North Tower at the World Trade Center the morning of September 11th, 2001. We are fortunate to have her family joining us this evening for our memorials dedication.
The memorial displays that with its base of loose stone, to the pedestals rising up from it with the artifacts placed upon them, we can rebuild. In the evening, all who pass the memorial will see that out of darkness comes light. It will always be visible, day and night, just as much as we will ‘never forget’. It will serve this community in years to come to tell the story of September 11th, 2001 and that on that day, ‘All Gave Some, Some Gave All’.
Thank you for your time. "
Read MoreSpeech from Firefighter EMT Matt Gallagher, Westmont Fire Company would also like to extend special thanks and appreciation to the United States Department of Defense, The National Parks Service, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Without their cooperation, this memorial would not have been possible.
We would also like to thank the invaluable assistance of the following people and agencies: Mayor Teague, Commissioner Dougherty and Commissioner Foley; Haddon Township Public Works Superintendent Jim Stevenson and the men of his department; Diener Brick who donated the brick for the pedestals you see here; Stouts Metal who donated their services welding the steel to the pedestals for the World Trade Center Memorial; and Conroy’s Corner who donated the specialized epoxy coating preserving the World Trade Center in the condition that we received it from the Port Authority of NY & NJ. We'd also like to thank The Ritz Theatre's Lighting Designer Christopher Miller and our architectural consultant Kelly Brennan. Special thanks goes to our mason, Mike Narrone of Narrone Construction, who with his understanding of the importance of this project and his remarkable attention to detail, this memorial will stand for many, many years to come. We would also like to thank the numerous other merchants that discounted or donated materials used in the memorial.
In the days after September 11th, our members became involved in the efforts in lower Manhattan. Our ambulance was deployed to New York City and was tasked with the duty of transporting firefighters to nearby hospitals that were injured while searching Ground Zero. Members that staffed the ambulance were Rescue Lt. John Vernon, Firefighter/Paramedic Brian Ball, and EMT Julie Hoey. Also, our Assistant Chief, Hank Voightsberger, was deployed for a week with NJ Task Force 1, the New Jersey State Police Urban Search and Rescue Team. There, he and the rest of NJTF1 aided in the recovery operation.
This memorial is dedicated to all of the fire, EMS, police, and military personnel that answered the call that day and to the memory of nearly 3,000 people that left home that fateful morning, not knowing that they would never see their families again. Among those that lost their lives included Danielle Kousoulis, a Haddon Township resident and 1989 Graduate of Haddon Township High School. She had a very bright future and was working for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 104th floor of the North Tower at the World Trade Center the morning of September 11th, 2001. We are fortunate to have her family joining us this evening for our memorials dedication.
The memorial displays that with its base of loose stone, to the pedestals rising up from it with the artifacts placed upon them, we can rebuild. In the evening, all who pass the memorial will see that out of darkness comes light. It will always be visible, day and night, just as much as we will ‘never forget’. It will serve this community in years to come to tell the story of September 11th, 2001 and that on that day, ‘All Gave Some, Some Gave All’.
Thank you for your time. "
