Nineteen Years Later, We’re Still Standing

DERBY — Roughly 300 Valley emergency services, public officials, and residents congregated on the Derby green on Friday evening to honor the nearly 3,000 lives lost to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. This year marked the 19th anniversary since the attacks on the U.S.

Derby firefighter Mike Witek opened the ceremony with a strong point.

“Despite the terrorist efforts, we’re still standing,” Witek said.

He pointed out the World Trade Center monument that was orchestrated by past Derby Fire Chief William Nicoletti in 2014. Information about the I‑beam from one of the World Trade Center towers that was installed on the Derby monument in 2014 can be found here.

“We believe a piece of that monument is possibly from the South tower. It was designed with the help of Commissioner Gary Parker, some friends through his engineering firm, local iron workers, and donated time and materials,” Witek said. 

The memorial contains references to the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and United Airlines Flight 93.

Derby Fire Department Commissioner Gary Parker said the 19 years have since reflected a significant difference in America compared back to 2001.

“Sept. 10, 2001, I would say we were a naive society and probably a naive world,” Parker said. ​“Sept. 11, we got hit with a sucker punch from the back, and nearly 3,000 people were murdered that day.” 

Parker talked about the strength on the American spirit on display across the country immediately following the attacks.

“Sept. 12, I believe we all woke up in a daze but, as always, we as a country responded with one thought in our mind. We vowed to pick ourselves up and put ourselves back together. We vowed to never forget the souls that gave all that day at the hands of the murders,” Parker said. ​“Fast forward to 2020, the mantra of never forget has seemed to be forgotten by many. We must not forget the souls lost on 9/11 and also the souls that continue to fight daily.”

Derby Fire Chief David Lenart said the Sept. 11 memorial on the green isn’t quite complete. 

“We’re still trying to get the money to finish building it and put up the proper signage so people understand what each part of the monument means,” Lenart said. ​“The whole thing was done by either donations or by fundraising so far.”

Past Captain and Chief Driver for Hotchkiss Hose Company, Sean Fitch, was one of the members that assisted the New York Fire Department after the terrorist attacks. In 2001, Fitch was working for AMR in Waterbury. After finding out that the second plane hit, the team scrambled to set up ambulances. 

The images from Manhattan that day were haunting — a caravan of EMTs and ambulances, but no people emerging from the collapsed buildings.

“We lined the entire railway from New Haven to the New York line with ambulances because we were told that casualties would be coming in off of the rails. I think I worked until probably midnight that night,” Fitch said. ​“I covered with AMR at the Chelsea Piers in New York after the attacks. It was Sept. 16 and the FDNY came in around 5 and told us to go home.”

The New York City Fire Department lost 343 members on Sept. 11, 2001. Yet here they were telling Fitch and the units from outside the city they could handle it.

“If you know FDNY at all, they’re very independent. They said, ​‘No you’re not understanding. Get out of the city. You don’t have to pay the toll. Just beat it.’ That’s why I was confident that FDNY was back because they took control of the scene.”

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal reflected on Sept. 11 being at an airport in New York City and almost taking off for Washington D.C. He said the next days were full of grief and pain, but also grit. 

“This ceremony speaks powerfully to the importance of this day. There’s nothing that we can not do as a nation when we come together,” Blumenthal said. ​“We have the resolve and the capability to accomplish great things when we are unified to beat back hate and fear, and to overcome our divisions.”

Click here to donate to the Derby Sept. 11 Memorial.