Sep 12, 2019 2 min read

First responders from across the county were up all night responding to fire calls. That didn’t stop them from paying their respects Wednesday morning during a 9/11 memorial ceremony in South Strabane.

Dozens of law enforcement and fire service agencies were represented at the 8:45 a.m. service in the parking lot of the Washington Mall, which is put on each year by the township’s police and fire departments.

“We will never forget,” South Strabane Fire Chief Scott Reese said after the service. “Every year we say ‘let’s keep this going,’ and every year we add more chairs.”

Veterans, public officials and community members joined in the ceremony to remember the lives lost 18 years ago, in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000.

“Today, we honor them,” South Strabane Police Chief Drew Hilk said during the ceremony.

Reese said he was pleased to see a large crowd this year, especially considering some departments had a busy night, with two structure fire calls in Canonsburg. Canonsburg Fire Chief Tim Solobay said several department-including North Strabane, Houston, Peters and Muse-assisted with the calls, that came in at 8:45 p.m. Tuesday and 4:20 a.m. Wednesday.

“Sleep is over-rated,” Solobay said after the 9/11 service. “It’s what we do. We make a lot of sacrifices and we’re here today to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice. This hits home for all emergency services and the least we can do is be here to honor them.”

South Strabane’s fire chaplain Robert Grewe was the main speaker, who offered a Psalm. He said the 9/11 first responders “walked into the very shadow of death that day.”

“They were focused on their duty to respond to the call to protect life and property,” he said. “We also know that God was there in the fire and the smoke.”