EDMONTON

Fifteen fallen firefighters honoured during Edmonton's Sept. 11 memorial

Darcy Seaton CTV News Edmonton

Published Friday, September 11, 2020 4:40PM MDT

A memorial for Edmonton's fallen firefighters is held on Sept. 11, 2020 in Old Strathcona. (Darcy Seaton/CTV News Edmonton)

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EDMONTON -- The sound of bagpipes echoed through the streets of Old Strathcona Friday morning as members of the Edmonton Fire Rescue Services honoured active and retired members who have passed away in the last year.

Fifteen EFRS members including one active and 14 retired have passed since Sept. 11, 2019. The annual ceremony coincides with the anniversary of the 911 terror attacks on the U.S. 19 years ago.

“Today was the most significant event and loss of firefighters in history,” said Edmonton Fire Chief Joe Zatylny, “And we have the opportunity to recognize our retirees and those we lost as well as the two new names that are going on the wall for line-of-duty deaths.”

Edmonton city councillor Andrew Knack was also in attendance and offered these words.

“While Edmonton may be far away from New York City, we felt their suffering as they mourned the loss of thousands of civilians and emergency personnel,” said Knack, “But the heroism that was demonstrated on that awful day by firefighters, police officers, EMT’s, regular people, also gave us hope and inspiration… we knew that the same spirit of sacrifice and bravery could be found closer to home.”

The names of the 15 local members lost were read aloud one by one followed by the ringing of a bell to signify their last alarm and that ‘they’re going home’.

The firefighters who were remembered on Friday include: