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Orlando Fire Department hosts candlelight ceremony in honor of first responders killed on 9/11

Orlando Fire Department hosts candlelight ceremony in honor of first responders killed on 9/11
RISK OF THEIR OWN LIVES TO GET TO SAFETY. QUESTIONS ABOUT A DUKES NOW HAS MORE ON LOCAL 911 CELEBRATIONS AS YEAH I AM ACTUALLY INSIDE FIRE DEPARTMENT NUMBER ONE IN DOWNTOWN ORLAND WIN. RIGHT NOW THEY ARE SETTING UP FOR A VERY SPECIAL CANDLELIGHT AND REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY FOR SEPTEMBER 11. SO I’M GOING TO STEP ASIDE SO WE CAN ZOOM IN. BUT YOU CAN SEE THOSE TIERED SHELVES WITH ALL THOSE CANDLES, THE RED CANDLE. 343 REPRESENT EACH OF THE FDNY FIREFIGHTERS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES. 60 OF THE CANDLES ARE BLACK, REPRESENTING POLICE OFFICERS KILLED, AND THERE IS ONE WHITE CANDLE FOR A CHAPEL, LYNN, WHO WAS KILLED. WE DO HAVE SOME VIDEO FROM THIS SAME CEREMONY IN 2019 AND 2021. THE ORLANDO FIRE DEPARTMENT IS ONE OF THE LAST IN CENTRAL FLORIDA THAT STILL HOLDS THIS TYPE OF REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY FAITHFULLY EVERY YEAR. I ASKED ONE OF THE CHIEFS WHY IT’S SO IMPORTANT TO THEM TO CONTINUE THIS ANNUAL REFLECT SHINE. SO AS TIME GOES ON, A LOT OF TIMES THE MEMORIES FADE, FEELINGS PASS, AND THINGS ARE FORGOTTEN. IT’S A VOW THAT WE MADE TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT WE KNOW AND KNEW THAT WERE WORKING FOR YOU. WHY ON SEPTEMBER 11TH THAT WE WOULD FORGET AND A WAY TO NEVER FORGET IS TO CONTINUE THE MEMORIAL. NOW, CHIEF MCCLELLAN, WHO YOU JUST HEARD FROM, ALONG WITH SOME OTHER ORLANDO FIRE DEPARTMENT FIREFIGHTERS, DID TRAVEL TO NEW YORK CITY ON SEPTEMBER 12TH, RIGHT AFTER THE ATTACKS. AND SPENT A LOT OF TIME THERE HELPING THAT FIRE DEPARTMENT, THEIR SURVIVING FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO RECOVER FROM THAT TRAGEDY. NOW, THIS REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY IS SET TO START IN JUST A LITTLE WHILE AT 7 P.M. IT’LL LAST ABOUT 45 MINUTES. AND ORLANDO FIRE DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO BE LIVESTREAMING IT ON THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE. AND WE, OF COURSE, WILL BRING YOU MORE COVERAGE LATE
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Orlando Fire Department hosts candlelight ceremony in honor of first responders killed on 9/11
Inside Fire Station 1 in downtown Orlando they were set up for their annual 9/11 Remembrance and Candlelight Ceremony.At the front of the room on some tiered shelves were hundreds of candles.343 candles were red, representing each of the FDNY firefighters who lost their lives, 60 were black representing the police officers killed, and there was one white candle for a chaplain who was killed.The Orlando Fire Department is one of the last in Central Florida that still holds this type of remembrance ceremony faithfully every year.WESH 2 asked fire chiefs why it is so important to them to continue this annual reflection."As time goes on, a lot of times memories fade, feelings pass and things are forgotten. It's a vow that we made to friends and family that we know and knew that were working for FDNY on September 11th that we would never forget, and a way to never forget is to continue the memorial," Chief Creed McClelland said. McClelland and some other members of the Orlando Fire Department traveled to New York City to help the day after Sept. 11. They hope that Sunday's remembrance reminds people of the sacrifice first responders make to keep all of us safe.The ceremony starts at 7 p.m. Sunday.

Inside Fire Station 1 in downtown Orlando they were set up for their annual 9/11 Remembrance and Candlelight Ceremony.

At the front of the room on some tiered shelves were hundreds of candles.

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343 candles were red, representing each of the FDNY firefighters who lost their lives, 60 were black representing the police officers killed, and there was one white candle for a chaplain who was killed.

The Orlando Fire Department is one of the last in Central Florida that still holds this type of remembrance ceremony faithfully every year.

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WESH 2 asked fire chiefs why it is so important to them to continue this annual reflection.

"As time goes on, a lot of times memories fade, feelings pass and things are forgotten. It's a vow that we made to friends and family that we know and knew that were working for FDNY on September 11th that we would never forget, and a way to never forget is to continue the memorial," Chief Creed McClelland said.

McClelland and some other members of the Orlando Fire Department traveled to New York City to help the day after Sept. 11.

They hope that Sunday's remembrance reminds people of the sacrifice first responders make to keep all of us safe.

The ceremony starts at 7 p.m. Sunday.