Today is the International Day of Mourning for firefighters who are killed or get sick in the line of duty.
September 11th was chosen to commemorate the terrorist attacks in New York that took the lives of 343 firefighters on that day alone.
We lost 343 of the greatest people to ever wear the FDNY uniform –#FDNY COD Leonard, @StPatsNYC 9/11 15th Anniv. Ceremony #NeverForget
— FDNY (@FDNY) September 10, 2016
Peter Alexander is President of Local 771 of the firefighters union in Saint John who says firefighters and first responders are still dying from being exposed to the dust and debris that day.
Alexander says he knew many of the firefighters in New York who responded to the Twin Towers.
#FDNY Commissioner Nigro & Chief of Dept Leonard lay a wreath at the Firemen’s Memorial, Riverside Park #NeverForget pic.twitter.com/FbdtDz7vVg
— FDNY (@FDNY) September 11, 2016
Firefighters from the Atlantic Provinces and Maine will be holding a Memorial Parade starting at 2:00 from the Fire Fighters Museum to the Bell Monument Memorial where there will be a helmet laying ceremony.
Joining @IAFFLocal771 & their colleagues, @LTGOVNB & @saintjohnpolice today marking National Day of Mourning for Fallen Firefighters.
— John Bates (@ChiefBates) September 11, 2016
I’m so proud to be involved in the #NationalDayofMourning @IAFFLocal771 Please come out and support! pic.twitter.com/y6klS621rm
— Wayne Long (@WayneLongSJ) September 11, 2016