The Crookston Fire Department finished their annual 9-11 memorial display on Friday night to honor the fallen firefighters, police officers, EMS, and other first responders that died on September 11, 2001, attacks on the Twin Towers in New York City. They have displays at both the main station and the north station. The department has put on a display every year since the attack, and it has continued to grow over the years.
This year’s displays include new murals and cutouts of firefighters taking a knee to honor the fallen victims on 9-11. The number 343 is also being displayed to honor the fallen firefighters who gave their lives doing their job, as well as 343 American flags that wrap around the fire department.
Crookston Firefighter Shane Heldstab was one of the leaders on the project this year and talked about the importance to continue putting the display on. “We put our 343 flags out every year to honor the firefighters, and we have ever since,” said Heldstab. “We’ve gotten a great reaction from doing that and wanted to see if we could build on the momentum and continue to make it special to honor them.”
Crookston Firefighter Mike Swenson paints the murals each year, and Heldstab talked about how this year is a little more special with its 20th Anniversary. “Immediately, I reached out to Mike Swenson, and he and his abilities are beyond amazing,” said Heldstab. “So, we have different cutouts for this year, different displays, and he created these new murals that will go up for this weekend by himself.”
The murals and display both at the main station and north station will stay up through this weekend for anyone who wants to drive by and see them.
It’s a tough day for all firefighters and first responders and a day that Heldstab thinks is important for everyone to look back on. “We all need to look and remember these guys that answered this call and knew right away the challenge they would be facing,” said Heldstab. “They went and did their job. A small department like us may not be tasked with something like that, but to remember that there is a chance we will need to make the same decision they did. We also want to remember their families and the ones who lost their loved ones.”
The display will continue to be put up each year to keep the fallen victim’s honor and memory alive. Below you can see pictures of the displays for this year that will be available for viewing until the end of the weekend.
