By COLlive reporter
Photos: Itzik Roytman
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo was joined by more than 250 first responders representing fire and police stations across New York State as part of the 9/11 Memorial Motorcycle Ride on Thursday.
The 9/11 Memorial Motorcycle Ride is designed to pay tribute to the strength, courage, and heroism of the police and fire department personnel who led the response and recovery efforts following the September 11th terrorist attacks.
The riders started Thursday morning in Albany and Long Island, meeting at the Rescue 1 Firehouse in New York City, before traveling down the West Side highway to the Ground Zero site. The riders were then invited to visit the September 11 Memorial and Museum.
“On September 11 2001, the men and women of our police and fire departments showed to the entire world that strength and courage will always conquer weakness and cowardice,” Governor Cuomo said.
Speaking about the state of terror in the world, Cuomo said: “It hasn’t gotten better, my friends. It actually has gotten worse. The terrorism threat has metastasized. Now the terrorist threat is not just al-Qaeda. It’s Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS.”
The governor added: “I recently took a trip to Israel in the Middle East where they battle this every day. Their point was very simple: We are fighting the fight today, but that fight will migrate to Europe and from there to the USA.”
9/11 Memorial President Joe Daniels said, “As we remember those we lost on 9/11, let us also honor and recognize the bravery of those men and women who rushed in to save others, many of them sacrificing their own lives. Rescue 1, like so many firehouses and police precincts that suffered such deep losses on September 11, exemplifies the courage and dedication of our first responders.”
New York State Police Superintendent Joseph A. D’Amico said, “Thirteen years ago, first responders from across New York City and New York State showed true bravery as they rushed toward danger to help others on September 11, 2001. It is that heroism and strength that members of law enforcement and firefighters honor today in the 9/11 Memorial Motorcycle Ride. Each day, we will make sure their legacy lives on, as we protect and serve the people of New York.”
Port Authority Executive Director Pat Foye said, “While 13 years have passed since that terrible day in September, the passage of time has not diminished the memory of the courage, spirit and resilience of our first responders.
“We will never forget the 37 members of the PAPD who perished that day alongside thousands of others including active and retired members of the FDNY and the NYPD, and I am honored to join Governor Cuomo in paying tribute to their heroism.”
One image that sticks in my head from 9/11, although not photographed, is the firefighters marching up the stairs in the WTC, doing their best to do their jobs without hesitation, even though they had to know it was going to cost them their lives.
Some clear thinking about the real facts.
I disagree with almost everything the governor says, but in this case he’s on the money.