A “fire-colored” sky was the backdrop of the 9/11 remembrance ceremony on Wednesday evening at Peekskill’s Riverfront. At least a hundred people gathered for the Peekskill Fire Department’s September 11 Remembrance ceremony. For 23 years the department has honored the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives in the attack in 2001 and for the past 15 years the ceremony has taken place at the Fireman’s Memorial at the Riverfront.

Next to the half-mast flag, The Westchester Firefighters Emerald Society Pipes & Drums practiced the marches they would perform during the event which began at 6:30 p.m. Nearby, a line of police officers, firefighters, and members of the armed forces stood solemnly yet warmly greeting one another. They remembered the heroes who never came home.

There were words of comfort during the invocation from Pastor James Perry of Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, who challenged attendees to remember those lost through “memories, compassion and for some – joy because there is something about them that we can smile about.” Mayor Vivian McKenzie recited the poem by Maya Angelou “When Great Trees Fall.”

Mistress of Ceremonies Sue Sheridan of the Peekskill Fire Department said she wanted to deviate from telling the story about one or two of the victims. Rather she told the story of  two individuals who, went they went to duty, knew if they succeeded they would not return home that day. Lt. General Marc Sasseville and Heather Penny, F16 Fighter pilots, received orders to incept the hijacked United Airlines Flight 93.  They took off from Andrews Air Force base and while in flight they received orders to use lethal means if necessary. Because they had scrambled quickly, they were in unarmed planes and the challenge became how to take down a civilian airliner without weapons. They decided to ram the hijacked plane with their fighter planes. Sasseville would ram the front of the plane and Penny the tail. Their plan became unnecessary when the hijacked plane was taken down by a group of passengers who stormed the cockpit and the plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.

After Sheridan’s remarks there was a laying of the wreaths.  Volunteer Deputy Chief Robert Boddie placed a wreath on the Sept. 11 plaque. Department Surgeon Dr. John McGurty placed a wreath on the plaque honoring the members of the NY/NJ Port Authority police who died. Retired Peekskill Police Captain Paul Astrologo placed a wreath on the plaque honoring retired Peekskill Police Detective Charlie Wassil, Jr. who died from injuries sustained in the recovery operation at the World Trade Towers. Retired NYPD Sgt. John Brennan placed a wreath at the memorial for falled NY Police Department officers and retired NY Fire Department firefighters James Rooney and Jimmy Shelly played flowers at the plaque of NY Fire Department brethren. Police Chief Leo Dylewski and Fire Chief Jim Seymour placed a wreath at the piece of steel that forms the centerpiece of the Memorial.

A moment of silence followed for the uniformed personnel and civilians who perished in the attacks. The bell began to toll and the Westchester Firefighters Emerald Society Pipes & Drums played Amazing Grace with the train whistling in the background.

In his closing remarks, Peekskill Fire Chief James Seymour said there is no greater way to honor those who died by showing up everyday when you’re called to duty.  Sue Sheridan spoke the names of those from the Peekskill community who were lost due to that day and she asked those in attendance to remember them and offer up a prayer for their families: NY Firefighter Sam Oitice who died in the south tower of the World Trade Center and the two who died from World Trade Center illnesses,  Peekskill police detective Charlie Wassil, Jr. and NY Fire Department firefighter Michael O’Hanlon.