We remember the lives taken. We stand with the people still carrying the loss.
September 11, 2026, marks 25 years since the attacks of September 11, 2001. We, the members of IAFF Local 3874, join our neighbors across Monmouth and Ocean counties in remembering those who were killed, honoring their lives, and standing with the families and survivors whose lives were forever changed.
The attacks took 2,977 lives at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Among those killed were 343 members of the New York City Fire Department. We remember every person lost that day: firefighters, emergency medical personnel, police officers, and the civilians they served.
Behind every name is a life that reached far beyond that morning. A person with family, friends, plans, and a place in their community. Remembering means taking the time to learn who they were, beyond a number or a name engraved in a memorial. Their lives deserve that care.
For the fire service, this anniversary carries a particular responsibility. We honor fellow firefighters who answered the call to help people in danger and did not come home. Their service is part of the history we inherit when we enter this profession. We owe it to them, and to the people who loved them, to pass that history on with honesty and respect.
The loss did not end that day
The rescue and recovery effort left consequences that continue 25 years later. Responders and survivors have faced serious illnesses connected to World Trade Center exposure, and more lives have been lost in the years since. The FDNY’s September 2026 health report documents the continuing effects on the people who served there.
The 9/11 Memorial Glade also recognizes rescue, recovery, and relief workers, survivors, and members of the broader lower Manhattan community who are sick or have died because of those exposures. They belong in our remembrance, too.
For those living with illness, grief, or the lasting effects of what they experienced, the need for support does not end when an anniversary passes. We believe honoring their service includes standing beside them, supporting access to care, and remembering the families who share that burden. These are people who need to know they have not been forgotten.
Keeping their memory with us
Twenty-five years also means a new generation is learning this history. In our homes, schools, and firehouses, we can help them understand what happened and who was lost. We can share accurate accounts, listen when people choose to tell their stories, and make room for questions. A remembrance should leave people knowing more about the lives we honor.
Here in Monmouth and Ocean counties, we can each take a moment this week to remember. Visit a memorial. Learn someone’s story. Reach out to a person carrying a loss. Continue that care after September 11 has passed.
We honor those killed on September 11, 2001, and those lost to related illness in the years since. We stand with their families, with survivors, and with our brothers and sisters still living with the effects of that day.
Twenty-five years later, we will never forget.
Sources
- National September 11 Memorial & Museum: the Memorial and Memorial Glade
- FDNY: September 11 remembrance
- FDNY: September 2026 World Trade Center health report
Photo credits
Featured photograph: A white rose rests among names at the National September 11 Memorial, September 2019. U.S. Navy photo / Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Sarah Villegas.
Recovery photograph: Firefighters at the World Trade Center site during recovery work, September 29, 2001. Andrea Booher / FEMA News Photo.
The appearance of U.S. Department of War (DoW) visual information does not imply or constitute DoW endorsement.
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