Residents, city officials, fire personnel, police officers and military gathered Tuesday morning at the Livermore Pleasanton Fire Station Number One on Nevada Street in Pleasanton to .
After three members of the color guard presented the flag to half-staff, a short ceremony was held.
Wearing full dress uniform, Livermore Pleasanton Fire Chief Jim Miguel thanked the group for attending the "Patriot Day" ceremony.
"President George Bush declared September 11 as 'Patriot Day'," said Miguel. Read the full Presidential Proclamation here.
Captain Erik Finn says we will never forget.
"We remember all of those who perished on September 11," said Finn. "We continue to mourn your loss be honoring their memory and celebrating their lives in a ceremonial fashion such as this. We will never forget. Our thanks to the many sworn and non-sworn, city and state personnel who serve daily to maintain our quality of life. We will never forget."
After calling for a moment of silence, Finn's final remarks included remembering the recent loss of.
"We keep the family of CHP Officer Kenyon Youngstrom in mind as he is laid to rest this Thursday after yet another senseless act of violence," Finn said. "We. Will. Never. Forget."
Livermore Police Chief Steve Sweeney said the "attacks had a tremendous impact on our society and we can never forget."
The Livermore Pleasanton Deputy Chief Jane Moorehead led the bell ringing ceremony and said the ringing of the bell is a long-standing tradition for firefighters and tells all the fire is over and the crew is to return to quarters. Tradition calls for three rings of the bell, three times.
"The sound of the bell, through the day and night, signals the fire alarm," Moorehead said. "When a firefighter has made the ultimate sacrifice, it was the mournful toll of the bell that announced a comrade's passing. On this most solemn of days, we ring the bell for not only fire but police and military who have served. They are going home."
Bagpipes playing "Amazing Grace" followed as the echoing sound of the bell faded into the morning.
