Middle River Volunteer Ambulance & Rescue to House Piece of World Trade Center

Firefighters across the country never forget the impact the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks had on those who worked in public safety professions.

Of the nearly 3,000 fatalities on that day, there were 343 firefighters and 60 police officers that perished when the World Trade Center collapsed in New York City.

Those at the Middle River Volunteer Ambulance & Rescue Co. now have a physical reminder of that tragic day that it will be able to display for others to see. The company recently received a piece of steel from the World Trade Center. While the artifact is only a 2-foot-by-2-foot piece of rusted steel, its symbolic value is priceless and a source of pride to the members of the station.

“Everyone remembers where they were on that tragic day,” Middle River Volunteer Ambulance & Rescue Co. President Joe Davis said. “We now have a piece of history that we share with our members and the public so we never forget.”

The artifact comes to the station after more than a year of collaborative efforts between Middle River Volunteer Ambulance Rescue and the New York/New Jersey Port Authority. Part of the application process required Middle River to provide the artifact with a permenant display case so the public could see it.

Davis said the station eventually envisions the artifact being a focal point in the lobby of a new station for the company. Middle River has property lined up for a new station to replace its current home on Leland Avenue. The station has been located at this site since 1958, about 10 years after its formation.

However, the recent recession delayed plans to move forward with the project, which has been in the works for about five years.

“We’re hoping to build the station sooner rather than later and believe it will be done in the next five years,” Davis said. "This artifact shall serve as a reminder to everyone of the sacrifices made on September 11, 2001.”