The Dover Air Force base held its annual 9-11 memorial event.
The mayor of Dover and members of the Dover fire department joined Airmen at the Dover Air Force Base in memorializing the September 11th attacks and their victims.
Staff Sergeant Daniel Kolk organized this year’s event, which took place in the base's fire station.
“Wasn’t really a question for me if we wanted to do something. It's something that we wanna keep doing, we don’t ever wanna forget," said Kolk. "I’ll always be a part of this, the Dover fire department, the Air Force base will always be a part of this because that is such a day to remember and to never forget. You can’t just let these things get lost in history. It needs to be talked about every single 9-11 that happens.”
The service included a speech by Jack Dunn, retired Air Force firefighter who worked rescue and recovery operations in the aftermath of 9-11.
Dunn spoke about his experience working on the search and rescue operations in the aftermath of 9-11.
“As a captain at the time in the fire department, I looked at those buildings and I knew the magnitude of the loss of life that was ongoing right at that very moment," said Dunn. "We saw things that people shouldn't have to see and I know a lot of you have too. And I knew that it was gonna be one of the hardest days in the history for the New York city fire department, the police department, port authority and everybody involved.”
Dunn says it’s important to never forget the unity created by that event, and how the country came together to support each other.
He praises the work first responders do every day, and the battle that many firefighters continue to fight with illnesses and cancer connected to rescue operations at the World Trade Center.
Dunn’s speech was followed by the reading of the first responder prayers, that reflect on the sacrifices many firefighters, paramedics and others make each day when they go to work.
