A 3,000 pound steel I-beam pulled from the World Trade Center debris almost 23 years ago after the September 11 terrorist attacks and later gifted to Poudre Fire Authority has found its final resting place.
The beam is now the centerpiece for the 9/11 Memorial at Spring Park, located behind Poudre Fire Authority Station No. 3, which officially opened Monday. The beam is surrounded by 343 pavers, representing the 343 firefighters killed in the 2001 terrorist attack.
The memorial will be a place where the community can reflect and remember the attacks and the aftermath, as well as remind new generations of the tragedy and sacrifices of first responders, so the community will hopefully never forget, City of Fort Collins and Poudre Fire Authority leaders said during Monday’s opening ceremony.
“It’s a testament to the impact that 9/11 had on all of us,” City Manager Kelly DiMartino said. “To have a place of reflection is really special for our community.”
Looking at the beam takes now-retired Capt. Jim Salisbury back to ground zero, where he and eight other Poudre Fire Authority firefighters responded after the attacks to cut through debris and beams — just like the one on display at the memorial — to find survivors and recover victims. The Fort Collins firefighters responded with Colorado Task Force 1, a statewide disaster response group.