Newsroom
For Immediate Release
Monday, August 23, 2010
Contact: Ed Hughes 703-517-0618 (voice) (TTY)
Arlington to Receive Gift of World Trade Center Steel
- Public invited to formal ceremony, Sunday, Aug. 29
- Steel escorted from NYC by 500+ motorcycles
- Ceremony includes 100+ NYC, Arlington firefighters in dress uniforms
- Some temporary street closures in the Pentagon City area
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Arlington County Fire Department will receive a section of steel from the World Trade Center as a tribute to its service at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001. The gift is from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), Fire Department New York-Fire Family Transport Foundation, the and the Iron and Steel Team.
Media and public are welcome to attend the ceremony:
- When: Sunday, Aug. 29. At 10:45 a.m., a ceremonial procession will make its way down Hayes Street toward the fire station, where a pre-ceremony concert takes place.
- Where: Fire Station No. 5, 1750 S. Hayes Street, Arlington, VA
- What: Arlington County Fire Dept. will accept the 9/11 steel during a formal ceremony.
- Please note: This is a rain-or-shine event.
The ceremonial procession includes:
- Contingent of motorcycles representing the Iron & Steel Team;
- Engine 343, a restored antique fire engine that pays tribute to the 343 FDNY members who made the ultimate sacrifice on Sept. 11;
- Current and retired FDNY firefighters; and
- Northern Virginia Firefighters’ Emerald Society Pipe Band.
"This gift is a tremendous tribute to the many brave and dedicated men and women who responded to the Pentagon on September 11, 2001," commented James Schwartz, chief of the Arlington County Fire Department, who served as Incident Commander of the Pentagon response. "We are honored to receive it on behalf of all the first responders in the region who gave so much that day… and who keep this region safe every day."
Firefighters and other first responders from as far away as California will be participating in this event, including a number of fire chiefs from the National Capital Region.
The ceremony will include a performance by a middle school choir from Georgia, which raised funds to be able to travel to Arlington for this special event. The steel will be escorted from New York City by 500+ motorcycles and support vehicles.
Note to media: if you would like to reserve a parking spot for your truck, please contact Ed Hughes, 703-517-0618.
Street Closures
To accommodate the event and the procession, a few streets will be closed on Sunday, Aug. 29:
- S. Hayes Street from S. 15th Street to S. Fern Street will be closed from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.
Also, parking will be restricted on the west side of S. Hayes Street from S. 15th Street to S. 18th Street.
Arlington, Va., is a world-class residential, business and tourist location that was originally part of the "10 miles square" parcel of land surveyed in 1791 to be the Nation's Capital. It is the geographically smallest self-governing county in the United States, occupying slightly less than 26 square miles. Arlington maintains a rich variety of stable neighborhoods, quality schools and enlightened land use, and received the Environmental Protection Agency's highest award for "Smart Growth" in 2002. Home to some of the most influential organizations in the world - including the Pentagon - Arlington stands out as one of America's preeminent places to live, visit and do business.