Sept. 11 remembrance and National Day of Service at LAFD Hotchkin Memorial Training Center

The Los Angeles Fire Department held its 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony on Thursday at the World Trade Center Memorial at Frank Hotchkin Memorial Training Center in Los Angeles.

The event brought together LAFD Interim Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and other local officials to mark the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center towers and killed nearly 3,000 people. The solemn event included speeches, bagpipers and a helicopter flyover.

The ringing of “10-Bells,” was by Villanueva and Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell, a tradition to the bravery and sacrifice in the line of duty by first responders. The LAFD ceremony took place around its memorial display of a 22-foot tall steel column weighing 23 tons, that was originally part of the lobby structure at the south tower of the World Trade Center.

Immediately following the city’s official ceremony, the 9/11 Day nonprofit organization launched into its “Remember the Good by Doing Good” action as part of National Day of Service and Remembrance in Los Angeles.

The 9/11 Day nonprofit organization brought together more than 1,300 volunteers to pack 400,000 meals that were donated to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to be distributed to individuals and families in need in Los Angeles. The meal packing event was also held at the LAFD Hotchkin Memorial Training Center.

The co-founders of 9/11 Day, David Paine and Jay Winuk, wanted to create something good out of the Sept. 11 tragedy and to honor the memory of those killed. The personal Sept. 11 connection for Winuk was his brother Glenn, an attorney and also a volunteer firefighter who was killed while responding at the World Trade Center. 911day.org

The 9/11 Day founders worked to create a National Day of Service and Remembrance for Sept. 11. It was established in 2009 by federal law and a presidential proclamation. The “Never Forget” day is said to be the largest “doing good deeds” observance by volunteering and supporting charities through monetary donations.