Huntington Manor Service Recalls Those Lost on Sept. 11

Firefighters stood shoulder to shoulder in silent ranks at the Huntington Manor Fire Department on Saturday as a bell tolled 343 times in remembrance of those lost in the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.

Among those honored at the hour-long memorial service was its chief, Peter A. Nelson, who responded to the attacks as a member of Rescue 4 of the Fire Department of New York and was one of the 343 firefighters lost that day.

Under deep blue, sunny skies that reminded many of the weather on the day of the attacks, people listened to the resonating tones of the bell, a few moved to quiet tears and somber memories. Few words were spoken, with the focus of the service on the bell and its tolling. Even the young children remained quiet. A handful of people from the community joined the seated audience of relatives and friends, standing back behind the firefighters to pay their respects.

Betty Vienne of Huntington Station came to the ceremony because, she said, people's sacrifices have to be remembered. "It's just a way to remember those who gave their lives for their country," she said. "You have to take time to do something. How could you not want to go?"

She said she had attended Mass at St. Hugh's Roman Catholic Church earlier in the day and noted that another World Trade Center victim, James Reilly, was remembered at the service. "It was very moving," she said. "All his nieces and nephews there, the younger ones are perpetuating his memory."

Carpenter Patrick Penders, who wore a shirt honoring Nelson, had similar thoughts. He had attended previous ceremonies, and said, "It makes you reflect on the meaning of things. You need to pay tribute to all those who sacrificed their lives."

Joining the Huntington Manor firefighters at the headquarters ceremony was Anthony Skut, a member of the Colchester, Conn., fire department who has made it a tradition to bring others to the annual memorial. He said a member of the Colchester department had been friends with Nelson. 

With him were Gary Smith, from the same department, and Britons Ian Parkes of the Essex County Fire and Rescue  service in England, who has been coming to the United States since 2003 for Sept.11 memorials, Peter Robartson, from the same department, and police officer Andy Sumner of the Essex County police department.  Earlier this week, the group had attended services for Connecticut State Trooper Kenneth Hall, who was killed when a driver struck his vehicle.

After the memorial, the visitors and members of the Huntington Manor department headed to a service at Nelson's grave at Melville Rural Cemetery where first assistant chief Mark Sciallo said a prayer was said and a wreath laid. Some planned to travel into New York City for services and others planned to attend a candlelight vigil at Peter Nelson Park on Oakwood Road at 8 p.m.

Among the crowd were Lisa Hatton, wife of first assistant chief Gary Hatton, who brought her son, Jake, 3 , and daughter, Amelia, 7. Earlier in the week, Hatton said, she had tried to explain the significance of the day to her daughter, who had not yet been born when the terrorists struck. "They can get us again?" her daughter asked. And her mother said she assured her, "We live in a safe country and we have very strong armed forces to protect us."

The bell also was tolled for its chaplain, Richard Holst, who collapsed and died at a fire last September.