22 Agencies Honor First Responders at Maryland Memorial
A ceremony at King Memorial Park marked National First Responders Day and the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, drawing uniformed personnel from three jurisdictions.
By George Parker ·
King Memorial Park in Windsor Mill, Maryland, hosted its fifth annual National First Responders Day ceremony on Friday morning, bringing together personnel from across the Mid-Atlantic region to recognize public safety workers.
The event drew police, fire, and EMS personnel, along with their families and students from local schools. Twenty-two agencies provided color guard participants, while uniformed responders traveled from Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., to attend.
The date held specific weight this year as it coincided with the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. During the ceremony, attendees paid tribute to first responders lost on that day, as well as those who died in the line of duty during the current year.
Col. Michael A. Jackson, superintendent of the Maryland State Police and the keynote speaker, addressed the crowd in the venue's Memorial Garden for Heroes. He described the individuals honored as lives dedicated to service, noting that each name etched in stone represents someone who moved toward danger without hesitation.
"Each name etched in stone represents a life dedicated to something greater than. The work that each of them performed, it represents someone who did not think twice to move towards danger to be of service," Jackson said.
Erich March, president of King Memorial Park, emphasized the constant availability required of the profession. "These ladies and gentlemen get up every morning, 365 days a year, 24/7, go and put themselves in harm's way," March told the assembled crowd.
King Memorial Park has served the local African American community for more than 50 years and describes itself as the largest African American-owned cemetery in the United States. The Memorial Garden for Heroes is dedicated specifically to maintaining the memory of first responders. Jackson concluded his remarks by urging attendees to take care of themselves and their families, acknowledging that the toll of the job extends beyond the immediate work.
Source: WMAR-TV
