‘A sobering reminder’: Kamloops Fire Rescue pauses to remember 25th anniversary of 9/11 attacks

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Friday’s ceremonies in Kamloops were held at 9:59 a.m. to coincide with the time when the first tower fell in New York City.

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“Every firefighter you talk to who was in a fire service at that time, they remember where they were and what they did on that day,” Kamloops Fire Chief Ken Uzeloc added. “They remember knowing as soon as that first tower fell, we just lost a whole bunch of firefighters.”

“I hope as time passes, people don’t forget because it is the single most traumatic loss in the fire service history.”

The losses did not end that day, as hundreds of firefighters and law enforcement personnel died in the years that followed due to issues like toxic dust exposure, respiratory illnesses and cancers linked to Ground Zero.

“They made a choice that day,” Cail, who spent time in New York City in the aftermath of 9/11, said. “A lot of them knew what they were getting into and that doesn’t change today, tomorrow, next week or next year as firefighters continually answer the bell.”

“When the bell goes, we don’t have the choice to not respond, to not help people – and unfortunately, that was the day [when many] answered the last bell and we will never forget.”