Shoppers at Company Five’s semi-annual yard sale took a break Saturday morning for a commemorative observance of the terrorist attack that, nine years ago, changed the nation.

Timed to coincide with the time of the collapse of the South Tower of the World Trade Center, the ceremony centered around reading the names of the 343 members of the New York Fire Department and the 72 members of the law enforcement community who lost their lives that day.

Many of those present at the ceremony were affected by the events of that Tuesday in September 2001, a bright sunny day much like Saturday.

“It was hard to believe that it was really happening,” said District 3 Supervisor Ned Creasey, who said he was on the job getting ready to pour some concrete when he heard the news.

Company 1 member Preston Smith, who along with Chan Rowland laid a commemorative wreath before the flag at Company 5, worked for Fiduciary Trust Company in Tower II from 1983 until 1991 on the 94th floor. He knew many of the 100 employees of the company who died on 9-11.

“It was a blessing I was working here,” said Smith.

“I spent 38 days up there,” said Goochland Fire/Rescue Chief William MacKay, who was at that time working for the Fairfax County Fire Department. MacKay was part of a FEMA team providing logistical support in the recovery process.

MacKay, who grew up on Long Island, said many of the firefighters killed in the Twin Towers collapse were volunteers. One was a childhood friend, Ronnie Gies, of Firefighter Squad 288.

“We grew up together,” said MacKay.

Tom Ferris, who was one of the readers of the names of the fallen, was working in the control room of the water treatment at Infineon in Richmond.

“Everyone was glued to their computers,” he remembered, as they watched the events unfold.

Mackay noted that about one third of current public safety employees nationwide are new to the job since 9-11.

“It’s important to remember it,” he said.

Photo by Ken Odor
At Saturday’s wreath-laying cermoney at Company 5 the crowd listens to the reading of the names of the firefighters and police officers who died in New York on 9-11.