Sept. 11 memorial services planned for Orleans County and Brockport

Photo by Tom Rivers: John Becker of the Kendall Fire Department joined other firefighters at the Sept. 11 observance last year. In 2001, Kendall also had a firefighter killed in the line of duty. Richard Buongiorne was fatally injured on January 9 when he was struck by two vehicles while he was directing traffic at the intersection of Routes 18 and 237 in Kendall.

Memorial observances are planned on Sept. 11 in Albion and Brockport for the 22nd anniversary of the terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.

The service in Albion will be at 6 p.m. on the courthouse lawn near the Sept. 11 memorial.

Scott Schmidt will again serve as the keynote speaker at the observance. Schmidt spent three weeks with a federal team – U.S. Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT) – and assisted in collecting and identifying remains, and interviewing family members searching for loved ones. He left for New York City on Sept. 11, 2001. He was there for 20 days, including a week at Ground Zero.

Lynne Johnson, the Orleans County Legislature chairwoman, is scheduled to give the welcome address for the event and lead the Pledge of Allegiance.

Don Snyder, a chaplain with the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, will offer an invocation and benediction. Orleans County EMO Director Justin Niederhofer will read the timeline of events from Sept. 11, 2001, when nearly 3,000 people were killed when four airplanes were hijacked and crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. and a rural field in Shanksville, Pa.

Doug Egling will play a rendition of America the Beautiful on his EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument) and members of all Orleans County American Legion and VFW Posts will fire a rifle volley and play Taps.

Many local, county and state law enforcement personnel as well as firefighters and EMS personnel also are expected to attend the service.

A contingent of DMORT personnel from around the state that responded to NYC will be in attendance as well.

In Brockport, the 22nd annual September 11th vigil will be held at the Brockport Fire Department Station #4 at 237 S. Main St., where there is a Sept. 11 memorial. There will be an opening ceremony at 8:30 a.m., followed by a ringing of the bell at 8:47 a.m., a “Ring of Gold” observance at 6 p.m. and closing ceremony at 6:30 p.m.