NEWS INFORMATION FROM |
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THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED |
FOR IMMEDIATE USE |
SEPTEMBER 11 MEMORABILIA ON DISPLAYMayor Stephen R. Reed today, on the fifth anniversary of the September 11 attacks on the United States, said two displays of artifacts and memorabilia from September 11th and subsequent days at Ground Zero are now on public display. In the Atrium of City Government Center on Market Square, a selection of vivid photographs taken by New York State Fire Investigator Marie K. Magaro, now living in the Harrisburg area and the owner of Fisaga Restaurant, are on view, along with memorabilia related to her experiences there and in the aftermath. The Atrium is open to the public during business hours and anyone can stop by to see these items. A larger collection of photographs, debris and artifacts from Ground Zero is on display at the Pennsylvania National Fire Museum at 1820 N. 4th Street. The museum’s regular hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sundays from Noon to 4 p.m. These items were brought back by city personnel who were part of Pennsylvania Task Force One, the first major out-of-state search and rescue team to arrive in New York City on Sept. 11th. Reed said 83 Task Force members were sent to where the World Trade Center towers had collapsed. The Mayor ordered their activation before receiving federal orders from Washington to do so because the extent of the destruction evident in New York City made it a certainty those orders would be coming. The Task Force therefore had a several hour head start on mobilizing for transfer to New York. Reed said that five years later some security improvements have occurred but that much more needs to occur. Locally, the changes include: o PA Task Force has been enlarged, a redundant cache of specialized equipment has been acquired, and a special operations center has been built, where the task force is housed; the task force is one of 28 federally certified teams for call-up to a national emergency and is comprised of trained personnel from Pennsylvania and Maryland; the City of Harrisburg is its administrator. o In the wake of Sept. 11th, Pennsylvania initiated the creation of a second statewide task force for specialized assignment within the state; it is made up of nine regional task forces; PA Task Force Two is also administered by the City of Harrisburg o Security has improved at many sensitive sites, including TMI, airports, the state Capitol building, and multiple other local locations but, Reed notes the four areas of greatest remaining concern nationwide are rail, bus, seaport cargo and chemical sites and infrastructure Reed said: “September 11, 2001 was a sad, tragic and horrific day in our nation’s history. We mourn those who were lost and pray for the peace and solace of their families. But as we memorialize their loss on this 5th Anniversary, we can also take great pride. America did not cower. It did not shrink in fear. The demise of democracy and our economy that the terrorists hoped would be the outcome did not happen. America united as one in the face of the new threat, showing great courage and strength—the same kind courage shown by the passengers and crew of United Flight 93, the same kind of courage showed by the first responders answering the calls of distress at the World Trade Center. On this 5th Anniversary, we should draw strength and hope and confidence from this as we remember those lost on that fateful day.” |
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