Despite the terrorist attacks occurring 22 years ago, Taylor still honors those who died Sept. 11, 2001.
Taylor Fire Department, in coordination with other Williamson County first responders, hosted its annual Patriot Day March and Remembrance Monday, Sept. 11. Taylor has held a ceremony every year since the tragedy’s first anniversary.
“We are at a point in our history where the memory of 9/11 is fading,” Fire Chief Daniel Baum said to people in attendance. “Many of our youth fail to understand its significance. It is our job to keep it alive.”
The march honored all who died from the largest terrorist attack in the country’s history, with a specific focus on remembering the first responders who lost their lives during rescue efforts.
First responders marched down Seventh St., continued on Main St., turned onto Third St., down to Porter St. and ended in Heritage Square. Emergency vehicles lined up along the streets, including two fire trucks which held an American flag between their ladders.
Once the first responders and observers reached the park, a patriotic ceremony was held. Organizers performed memorial actions, such as raising the American flag, ringing a bell and a 21-gunshot volley salute.
Taylor is one of only a handful of Texas towns to still perform ceremonies on the anniversary of 9/11.
“As Americans and Texans, we said we would never forget,” Councilmember Robert Garcia said. “If we don’t remember this day every year, as Chief Baum said, it may fade away. We owe it to this country and to these people that perished on Sept. 11.”
Belton Fire Department’s fire chief, Jon Fontenot, was the keynote speaker for the event. A former lieutenant for Taylor’s fire department, Fontenot spoke about his memories serving after the attacks.
Fontenot served as chief of training for a fire and emergency service contractor in Iraq from 2008 to 2010. There, he worked with soldiers and Iraqi officials to protect the land
from fire. During his speech, the Belton fire chief called for Americans to recommit to the values of unity and compassion that the country shared after the attacks.
Recalling his memories of his time in combat and as a firefighter, Fontenot believes something can be gained from remembering the sacrifices soldiers and first responders have made.
“In the face of every blaze, we remember the bravery of our fallen comrades both here and abroad,” Fontenot said. “We draw strength in their memory, and we forge ahead with the determination to carry their legacy of service and sacrifice.”
The Honor Guard Academy, a week-long course that teaches firefighters how to perform certain ceremonious activities, had 61 students involved in the ceremony.
