On Sunday, from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, the Roslyn Branch went to the Syosset Fire Station to express our gratitude for the firefighters’ service and pay respect to their fallen comrades in a tragedy 21 years ago.
We prepared baked goods -an assortment of cookies- for the firefighters, made with love and respect. One of the Junior, Joe, showed us around the fire station, explaining the different parts of different trucks: engines can carry up to 500 gallons of water, ladder trucks that extends to a total of 90 feet, etc. He explained what firefighters do on a daily basis and educated us on their emergency response: which trucks respond to which type of emergency, what kind of hoses are used for a specific variety of fire, and how they put on their uniform- a protective gear that goes from head to toe and weighs up to 100 pounds.
We learned that every firefighter at the Syosset Fire Station was a volunteer. No one required them to dedicate themselves to saving others, and yet there they all are, risking their own lives every day, wearing hot stuffy gear and hurling headlong into danger without complaint. We hope to learn from their selfless actions and thrive to be of service to our community more often.
Afterward, we visited the 9/11 Memorial Park, a park dedicated to 9/11 victims, fallen firefighters, and those who have succumbed to illness related to 9/11. We paid our respect and left flowers. We were fortunate enough to run into a retired firefighter who was also paying respect. It was the first time since the tragedy did he speak of the event. He spoke about seeing the smoke in the sky and witnessing the second tower crashing down. He told us about the aftermath, the rubble littered with pieces of someone else’s life- a single shoe, a fallen purse. He remembered filling buckets full of debris and passing it down a barricade, nights spent without sleep.
We are very grateful to be able to hear his story and to relive part of the nightmare with him. It is moments like this that remind us of how privileged we are, and how we should cherish every moment of our peaceful life.
Members who participated in this event include:
Yang Amy Wu (2.5 hours), Zihan Wang (2 hours), Elizabeth Hsiao (2.5 hours), and Ethan Hsiao (2.5 hours).
Reporter: Yang Amy Wu
