Where were you when you first heard of the attack on the Twin Towers in New York City 18 years ago? Many of us were at work, at home or in our classrooms when the news broke. More than 3000 people were killed, hundreds of which were first responders, rushing in to help people trapped in the two towers. The Renfrew Fire Department took a few minutes this morning just before 10am, to honour and remember the fallen, with a group of young students, none of whom were born when 9/11 happened. Constable Tina Hunt says that’s what makes their attendance so special.
Hunt was a high school student herself on September 11th, 2001 and she had come home from lunch to find her Mother staring at the television in disbelief. Four planes were hijacked, two struck the towers, one crashed into the Pentagon in Washington and a fourth crashed into a Pennsylvania field, killing all on board. Captain Peter Whelan, with the Renfrew Fire Department, was out on a call that day, a local business had caught fire, billowing black smoke into the Renfrew skyline. He said when he was able to process what had happened, he was stunned.
Fire Chief Kevin Welsh was unable to attend, as he was responding to a call, but remaining members of the department were joined by OPP officers and volunteer firefighters from Horton for a minute of silence, with the flags at half mast.
