The Culver City Fire and Police Departments gather in front of the American Flag at Culver City Fire Department Headquarters, Fire Station No. 1 on Wednesday morning for the lowering of the American flag to half-staff in honor of the 2977 men and women who were murdered as a result of the terrorist attacks in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001. It is burned in the memories of Culver City's first responders that 343 firefighters, 37 Port Authority police officers, 23 New York City Police Officers, 8 EMT's from private companies and 1 patrolman from the New York City Fire Patrol.
New York City Fire Chief Peter James Ganci Jr. had just spoken to Mayor Rudy Giuliani minutes before arriving at the scene, when Giuliani had left for his command post, following Ganci's instruction to Giuliani, the fire commissioners and others to clear the area because it was apparent the North Tower would fall. However, Ganci himself did not evacuate the area, saying, "I'm not leaving my men", and remained at that location with William Feehan, first deputy commissioner of the fire department. Both men perished when the building collapsed.
This should provide an understanding why American firefighters along with all first responders will honor, yesterday, today and forever their brothers and sisters who marched into collapsing towers to save the people they had sworn to protect.
After a minute of silence remembering when the towers fell, the flag was lowered as "Taps" was played.
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