9/11 12th Anniversary Remembrance in Mount Kisco

Twelve years have passed since the 9/11 attacks, but speakers at Mount Kisco's remembrance ceremony on Wednesday evening recalled the day and asked people to remember it.

“This act shocked the conscience of the world, and it's a memory that we must, we try to preserve," said Mayor Michael Cindrich.

“It's hard to put it into words," said Mount Kisco firefighter Rich Alexander, who co-chaired fire department's committee for building the memorial, which was completed in 2011 for the 10th anniversary.

Alexander is one of six local firefighters who has also served as a New York City firefighter and was involved in the rescue operation at Ground Zero, according to Paul Felice, a fellow Mount Kisco firefighter who was the other co-chair for the memorial committee.

The ceremony was held at the local memorial in downtown Mount Kisco. In addition to village firefighters, counterparts from Bedford, Bedford Hills, Katonah and Chappaqua were present.

County Legislator Peter Harckham implored people to remember and noted the sense of unity for Americans that came in the aftermath.

“We're New Yorkers and we're neighbors and that's the spirit that we need to remember today, is that sense of community and neighoborlyness as we reach out to our neighbor with love and compassion and generosity.”

Present at the ceremony was the family of Michael Berkeley, who is listed on the memorial.

The ceremony included a flag exchange, which comes from the fact that 50 flags were brought to the three sites of 2011 during an August 2011 trip made by a Mount Kisco fire truck, a local police officer on a motor cycle and a foundation group.  Each year, another one of the flags, which were embroidered with numbers, is raised up a pole next to the memorial to replace the one from the previous year.

A wreath laying, pledge of allegiance and prayers were also held for the ceremony. At the end, people laid 343 red carnations, one for each firefighter who died in the attacks, on the memorial's parapet. Folks then proceeded to the Mutual Engine and Hose firehouse across the street, where a performance was held by Mark Rivera.