A Fitting Tribute
Reprinted from the June/July 2006 issue of Fire
Lines, the official Publication of the
Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York.
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE
UNIFORMED FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION OF GREATER NEW YORK
_______________________________________________________
JUNE/JULY 2006
|
 |
President’s Message
By STEPHEN J. CASSIDY |
On June 10th a fitting memorial,
dedicated to the 343 New
York City Firefighters who
died on 9-11, was unveiled at the
quarters of Engine 10/Ladder 10.
The 57-foot long, 6-foot high bronze
bas-relief sculpture was commissioned
by the law firm Holland and
Knight, and will forever hang on the
Greenwich Street side of the “Ten
House.” The UFA Executive Board
was honored to join hundreds of family
members and friends at the emotional
event.
Holland and Knight lost one of
their own in the 9-11 terror attacks.
Glenn Winuk, a partner in the firm
and volunteer Firefighter / Paramedic
with the Jericho Fire Department was
last seen leaving Holland and
Knight’s Broadway offices and entering
the Towers to help rescue trapped
individuals. Once it was discovered
that he had died in the collapse of the
South Tower, the firm sought a way to
memorialize him and help those who
were operating in the rescue and
recovery efforts at the Site.
They began fundraising efforts in
order to provide ice to cleanse and
cool the eyes of the workers at
Ground Zero. Nine weeks and 20
tons of ice later, their ICE campaign
was no longer needed. Insisting more
could be done, they turned their
attention to a memorial and a way to
honor their partner and the members
of the FDNY who perished while
facilitating the largest rescue in
American History.
The firm teamed up
with Assistant Chief
Harry Myers and the
foundation was laid for
the memorial.
The finished product
is an immense sculpture
which traces the
timeline of the attacks
from the impact of the
planes to the completion
of recovery efforts
at the Site. Chief Meyers
worked with the
artists from Rambusch
Studios to advise them
during the production. Each firefighter
and piece of equipment is fashioned
to represent all firefighters. No
one is singled out. Even a ladder company
in the background is emblazoned
with “343” on the rig where the
company number would be. It is this
strict attention to detail that makes
this memorial a truly awe-inspiring
piece.
 |
UFA President Steve Cassidy is joined by City Council Speaker
Christine Quinn
at the 9/11 Memorial Sculpture located on the side of the “Ten House”.
Photo by: Todd Maisel |
The memorial serves not only to
honor those who were lost on 9-11,
but the Firefighters who, on a daily
basis, put themselves in harms way
for others. It honors the sacrifice of
all New York City Firefighters. A
large inscription, spanning the length of the sculpture reads “Dedicated to
those who fell and those who carry on.
May we never forget.”
The June 10th program included a
number of speeches and presentations
by various dignitaries and elected officials,
including a video message from
President George W. Bush. In his
speech, he drove home the point that
while we may continue to move
ahead, it is important we take time and
never forget those we have lost.
His participation in the event came
after the UFA Executive Board, while
in Washington D.C. to lobby for additional
federal training funds, suggested
to the White House that the President
come to New York for the unveiling
of this spectacular tribute. However,
the day posed a number of
scheduling and security issues that
would prevent him from making an
appearance. The UFA then suggested
he produce a video for the event. He
agreed and the result was seen at the
ceremony.
—
Dedicated to those who fell and to those who
carry on. May we never forget.
—
Overall, the day was a bittersweet
moment for a many of us in attendance. Many remembered those we lost and
were glad to have such a stunning memorial dedicated to their lives. But one
could not help but to look across the street to the vacant space where the
towers once stood. It was evident that this, in fact, was our memorial. Each
individual Firefighter is listed with his rank and badge number, as well as
assigned unit. The UFA has been a staunch proponent for this recognition of
first responders at the World Trade Center Memorial. However, the WTC
Memorial Foundation has yet to address our concerns. Now they only need to
glance to the corner of Greenwich and Liberty Streets to take notice of how
a fitting tribute looks.
Our sincere thanks go out to all the
employees and staff at Holland and
Knight for their efforts in providing
the Firefighters of New York City
with a memorial that will last the test
of time.
All rights reserved © 2006
Uniformed Firefighters Association of
Greater New York
|
