VIDEO: Emergency Services Personnel, Public Participate in 9/11 Remembrance at Hospital

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Published on September 11 2015 11:30 am
Last Updated on September 11 2015 4:20 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

Some 50 firefighters and other emergency service providers were on hand at HSHS St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital Friday morning at the 9/11 Stair Climb.

The climb, and others like it, are sponsored by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, but the Effingham observance is believed to be the only event of its kind in Illinois on 9/11.

The event was spearheaded by local emergency service provider and firefighter Jerrod Estes along with Johnathon Paholke of Shumway Fire Protection District.

(LOCAL EMERGENCY RESPONDER AND FIREFIGHTER JERROD ESTES SERVED AS MASTER OF CEREMONIES FOR THE 9/11 OBSERVANCE)

A ceremony held in the hospital auditorium featured speeches by Effingham Fire Chief Joe Holomy, who is a past State Fire Chief of the Year and head of the MABAS 54 Fire Group. Also speaking was Effingham Fire Department Second Lieutenant Jim Wolters who explained the Bell Ceremony held in memory of fallen firefighters who have "finished their call". Director of Patient Services Kelly Sager from the hospital spoke on behalf of St. Anthony's but also from the perspective of being the wife of a local police officer. Effingham Mayor Jeff Bloemker spoke and cited a portion of Alfred Lord Tennyson's "Charge of the Light Brigade", referencing the portion where "into the valley of death rode the 600", linking that to firefighters heading into fires and other disasters while others are trying to flee.

(MEMBERS OF THE BELL CEREMONY HONOR GUARD)

Holomy noted that there is a national memorial in Emmetsburg, Maryland to commemorate fallen firefighters where ceremonies are held funded by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

The day featured a piece of steel from the World Trade Center, made available by the Pana Fire Department. Paholke worked to secure the steel, which has been in the custody of Tri-County Fire Protection District Chief Doug Ray during its time away from Pana.

(MEMBERS OF THE SHUMWAY FIRE DISTRICT POSE WITH THE STEEL REMNANT FROM THE WORLD TRADE CENTER)

The goal of the more than three dozen climbers was to traverse the stairways of the hospital 18 times, which is equal to the climb New York City firefighters faced on the day of the 9/11 attacks.

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