BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Team Beale assembled at Fire Station 1 to honor the fallen with a remembrance ceremony and reflect on the 24 years that have passed since the September 11th attacks.
As part of the ceremony, organizers played New York City Fire Department (FDNY) radio traffic from the morning of 9/11. The broadcasts illustrated the rapid procession of events and stark realization that the World Trade Center had been attacked.
Increasingly, the ranks of our military and emergency services are filled with men and women born after 9/11. Yet, they grew up in a world shaped by the attacks and their aftermath.
“It’s important to remember what was lost and everything our country has been through. That event shaped much of the heritage we carry in firefighting today” said Airman 1st Class Blake Russell, 9th Civil Engineer Squadron fire protection specialist, one of Beale’s younger firefighters.
Despite the passage of time, Russell remarked that it did not feel as distant as other history, partly because, “we keep it relevant.”
“Bridging that generational gap is a huge piece of it,” said Alec Giles, 9th Civil Engineer Squadron fire department battalion chief. “You’ve got to know your heritage. Don’t forget your history.”
The 9/11 attacks exposed critical gaps in interagency coordination. In response, new incident management systems were developed, fostering a common language that enables more dynamic crisis responses nationwide.
This shared language of emergency response underscores the tradition of sacrifice and service that links today's first responders with those of 9/11, a connection felt deeply by a new generation now stepping into their roles.
Michael Cook, FDNY battalion chief, a close friend of Kevin Smith, 9th Civil Engineer Squadron fire department chief said of the young firefighters who lost their parents on 9/11, "Kids who were just toddlers in 2001 are now on the job, in the FDNY. Many didn't know their fathers , only had their pictures."
Like the firefighters who followed in their parents’ footsteps, FDNY Battalion Chief Michael Cook was also drawn to service, beginning his firefighting career in the Air Force and preparing to join the NYPD as the events of September 11th unfolded.
“Whether you stay in the military or you separate and try for a civilian department, never stop learning.” Cook said. “Learn from those above you but never forget the firefighters who come behind because you were once in their shoes. Lift them up, keep them motivated.”