The anniversary of the 9/11 attacks became a second Memorial Day almost from the start. It became a second Veterans Day, too, an occasion to remember the sacrifices of those who ran toward the flames and to honor those who have taken the fight to terrorists ever since to keep our homeland safe.
This week was the 19th anniversary of the attacks, and a generation has come of age. Many thousands of young people joined the military or drew inspiration from the brave firefighters and police officers at Ground Zero to enter careers as public safety officers. This has been a week to thank them for the work they do.
The imprint of 9/11 goes well beyond our seared consciousness. It can be found in ways big and small in our public safety agencies, where service to community takes on an almost divine quality in some circles. You could certainly sense that this week with the recognition of the 2020 Hometown Heroes, a select group of public safety and medical professionals in Hancock County singled out for praise for their efforts to keep us safe.
At a ceremony on Friday evening, the four honorees – Misty Moore, Kelly Manning, Adam Leonard and Matt Decker – were able to reflect on their careers in public service. They have faced their own Ground Zeros amid the pandemic, which in many ways eclipses 9/11 for its impact on society and on history.
Their and many others’ acts of selfless sacrifice take place every day. Moore, as director of the county’s emergency management efforts, has been the point person – and often the voice – of the county’s COVID-19 response. Manning, an infections expert at Hancock Health, has spent her entire career building to this moment as a leading local authority on how contagions are transmitted. Leonard and Decker – both members of the Greenfield Fire Territory – spend every shift making sure they and their colleagues are ready in case the worst happens.
None of them have the luxury of working from home. They are running toward the flames every day.
It’s fitting that the 9/11 anniversary has become in part a commemoration of first-responders. While we mourn the loss of the nearly 3,000 victims who perished on American soil in a series of attacks 19 years ago this week, it’s also important that we pause to recognize the service of many whose dedication we take for granted.
And so we say to our first-responders: Thank you.
