9/11 remembrances scheduled for Wednesday

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) -The Wilmington Fire Department will hold a 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony on Wednesday at Fire Station #2 at Empie Park beside the Fallen Firefighter Memorial.

The event, which begins at 8 a.m., is being held to honor the 343 first responders that sacrificed their lives during the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

During the ceremony, the WFD Honor Guard will raise the 9/11 Remembrance Flag. Wilmington council member Clifford Barnett also will speak.

The ceremony will conclude with the ringing of the memorial bell and remarks from the Deputy Fire Chief.

“All Fire/Police/EMS/Military attendees are encouraged to wear Class “A” or Class “B” uniform,” the Wilmington Fire Department said in a news release. “All other attendees are asked to wear clothing that is respectful of the occasion and appropriate for the weather.”

The event is open to the public.

Visitors and guests are asked to park in the parking lot across from Fire Station #2, closest to Independence Drive.

Cape Fear Community College will honor the victims, first-responders, and survivors of the 2001 terrorist attacks with a ceremony at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

The event, which is open to the public, will be held at the Safety Training Center at CFCC’s North Campus at 4500 Blue Clay Road.

Here are the order of events:

• Silent Processional - First Responders
• Presentation of Colors - Fire Academy
• Pledge of Allegiance - Fire Academy
• National Anthem
• Welcome - CFCC President Jim Morton
• Introduction - Norman Hinkle
• Striking of the Four Fives - Fire Academy
• Poem - Fire Academy
• Laying of the memorial wreath - Fire Academy/BLET
• Remembering 9/11 - Chris Nelson
• Closing - Norman Hinkle

The Southport Fire Department will be holding a remembrance and reflection ceremony beginning at 9 a.m.

In front of the fire department’s headquarter at 1011 N. Howe Street, 343 fire boots will be on display, in remembrance of the number of first responders who died in 9/11.

“The mayor will be here,” said Southport Fire Chief Charles Drew. “We’ll have several different representatives that will speak about the police, about fire, about first responders that responded on that day. We’ll end with a wreath lay ceremony in memory of all the firefighters.”

A flag lowering with Taps ceremony also is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Mission BBQ will honor first responders with a free sandwich on Sept. 11. From 11 a.m.-9 p.m., all fire and police personnel and first reponders can get a free sandwich at any Mission BBQ location.

There also will be a live performance of the National Anthem at noon.

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