Houses of worship in the Centreville area are being asked to join the American Legion, the Centreville Community Foundation, and the citizens of Centreville in commemorating Patriot Day on Sept. 11, by bell ringing followed by a minute of silence during the times of each of the four separate terrorist attacks on America.
The bells should ring at approximately 8:45 a.m., 9:03 a.m., 9:43 a.m. and 10 a.m. Each ringing of five minutes duration commemorates the crash of American Airlines Flight 11 into the north tower of the World Trade Center, United Airlines Flight 175 into the south tower of the World Trade Center, American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon, and United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed into a field about 80 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.
Furthermore, citizens are being asked to turn their headlights on all day long while driving on Sept. 11th to remember the more than 3,000 innocent men, women, and children who lost their lives when commercial airliners were used as terrorist weapons.
At 11:55 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2002, the bells should ring for another five minutes followed by a community moment of silence at noon. Community civic, business, and government organizations are asked to pause and remember during that moment of silence across our whole community. It will honor the victims of the attack, the emergency service personnel, and the American military service personnel who have died in the battle against terrorism.
"We Will Remember" is the theme of this community Patriot Day Commemoration. Congress passed Public Law No. 107-89 to designate September 11th as Patriot Day.
<mh>Fire and Rescue Stations
<bt>The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department will commemorate the first anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks of with a solemn observance at all its work locations on Wednesday, Sept. 11, including all fire stations, the Massey Building, the Training Academy, and all locations with a flagpole on site.
The commemoration is intended as a salute to firefighters, law enforcement officials, and civilians.
It will also pay tribute to efforts in recent months by the fire service, law enforcement, and other emergency agencies.
The events will be held at the exact times the World Trade Center events took place. All stations and work locations will mark the occasion with a core set of events; however, station commanders may expand or modify the events at some locations.
The core schedule is:
• 7 a.m. — American, State, and County flags will be raised or left at full staff, if already flying.
• 9: 45 a.m. — Apparatus rolls out of bays, flanking the ramps on both sides.
• 10 a.m. — Personnel assemble at flagpole.
• 10:05 a.m. — At the time of the south World Trade Center tower collapse, a single short 1-2 second blast will sound on the air horn or bells, followed by one minute of silence.
• 10:06 a.m. — Flags lowered to half staff
• 10:07 to 10:30 a.m. — Brief service at some stations.
• 10:25 a.m.: Read names of fallen firefighters from FDNY, invocation or Firefighters Prayer
• 10:28 a.m. — At the time of the north World Trade Center tower collapse, the air horn or bells will sound briefly, followed by one minute of silence
• 10:29 a.m. — American flag raised with honors or flown at half staff.