Emergency Responders Memorial Dedication Coming This Month

Eleven months ago, members of the River Edge , , and  traversed their way to a JFK Airport hanger and back with a  from the World Trade Center courtesy of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as a way to remember those emergency service responders who also lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001. This month, the  will be dedicated in their honor after months of preparation.

The $8,000 memorial, completely funded through donations and the PBA, calls for a design plans created by  where the 16-foot long steel I-beam runs vertically to display the cut out cross outside of 

"We're going to remove two trees outside of borough hall," Detective Curt Wilhelm said. "We'll plant a new evergreen on the front lawn and a dog tree next to the entrance. The PBA will do all of the tree removal and planting with the DPW supplying a truck for the logs and branches."

The cross, which was not made for any religious significance, was created when workers at Ground Zero were removing the beams and cut out a cross for each victim's family.

Initially the borough had concerns about the PBA displaying the cross as it could be construed as a distraction from what the memorial stands for and the promotion of one religion over another. 

Upon further investigation by Wilhelm, only 16 beams from the Port Authority had the cut-out crosses and the Fialko family, who lost their daughter Jennifer on 9/11 have one of the cut-outs.

The exact timing of the Memorial Dedication has not yet been determined although the PBA is hoping to have everything completed by Sept. 11.

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