The 9/11 Memorial & Museum announced Tuesday that it will fundamentally alter its annual tribute to the fallen, introducing a seventh bell toll and moment of silence to honor the thousands of survivors and first responders who have died from 9/11-related illnesses in the decades following the terror attacks.
The addition marks the first major change to the ceremony’s structure since its inception. For nearly a quarter-century, the televised ceremony has featured six distinct moments of silence, timed precisely to when the two hijacked planes struck the World Trade Center towers, the attack on the Pentagon, the crash of Flight 93 in Pennsylvania, and the subsequent collapse of each tower. The new seventh toll will not be tied to a specific timestamp but will instead occur as a permanent fixture at the conclusion of the reading of the names.
The move comes six years after the museum dedicated the 9/11 Memorial Glade, a physical space on the plaza designed to honor those suffering from 9/11-related health issues. Advocates say the seventh bell toll provides an emotional and symbolic “centerpiece” to that recognition, ensuring the “ripple effect” of the attacks is never forgotten.
The 9/11 attacks left a profound and lasting mark on Hatzolah, which was among the first emergency responders to arrive at Ground Zero. In the years since the attacks, multiple Hatzolah members have been niftar after succumbing to aggressive cancers and respiratory diseases contracted during their tireless service on the “Pile.” These volunteers, many of whom rushed across bridges from Brooklyn and Queens without the benefit of respiratory protection to evacuate the injured, represent a vital segment of the first responder community whose sacrifices are now being formally recognized by the city’s principal institution of remembrance.
The health toll of the attacks continues to widen as the 25th anniversary approaches this fall. According to a new report, more than 143,300 people are currently enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Program, including over 88,000 responders. While 2,977 people were killed on the day of the attacks, the number of those who have died since from breathing in pulverized concrete, asbestos, and other carcinogens continues to climb. This includes 360 members of the FDNY who have passed away from related illnesses—more than the 343 firefighters lost during the initial collapse.
Chevra Hatzalah played a pivotal role in the World Trade Center rescue operations. The very first ambulance to arrive at the World Trade Center following the first plane crash on September 11, 2001 was a Hatzalah ambulance. By the time the second airplane crashed into the second tower, there were two dozen Hatzalah ambulances at the scene, including Hatzalah’s Communications and Command Center trailer, and more than 100 Hatzalah EMTs, paramedics, and doctors on scene. Before the buildings came down, ambulances had arrived from Hatzalah of Rockland County, 40 miles to the North, with additional medics and EMTs. During the first hour, over 125 patients were transported to area hospitals by Hatzalah ambulances.
At the south end of the Twin Towers, Hatzalah was the predominant ambulance service covering the disaster scene. Hatzalah ambulances transported numerous victims, including firefighters and police officers.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
