September 11, 2008 COMM Firestation memorial and tour

We arrived this morning at the COMM (Centerville, Osterville and Marston Mills) Fire Department in time to witness their Sept 11 Memorial to the lost Fire Fighters in the World Trade Center attacks. The firemen were lined up neatly in a row, one was lowering the flag. Dan was going about his business of collecting dandelions with flagrant disregard. I pulled him aside and explained to him what had happened 7 years ago today, and found it curious that I hadn't talked about it with him before. Did I forget, or was it more, that I didn't want to share with my very young child the horrors that all Americans experienced that day.
He stood solemnly through the rest of the service.
It seems like just yesterday. I was driving down Rt 130, newly married and enjoying my first foray into life as a stay at home Mom. I was embarking on my first quilting project, and was excitedly heading home with my newly chosen fabric. Emily was in school and I was enjoying a life of leisure. I remember hearing the report of the first plane hitting the tower and the how the reporter made it sound as if it was just a freak accident. Pulling into my driveway I heard the report of the second plane, and the whole essence of the broadcast changed. Two F-16 Fighter jets scrambled out of Otis...It wasn't just an accident, we were under attack. By whom, why, and when would it end?
Mike called and asked if I wanted him to come home. Laurie called as well and asked if she could come over, just so we weren't alone. The kids were released from school early. We were glued to the TV, that afternoon, evening and every day that closely followed. The skies were eerily quiet. The jets were the only sounds heard for the next few days. Instead of the feeling of freedom we usually felt hearing them, all of a sudden it was the sound of fear.
I will never forget...

We were at the Fire Department this morning for a Home Schooler's tour. Firefighter Frank was terrific with the kids, asked them lots of questions and the kids asked some pretty good questions too. We helped him get dressed in the right order, we learned what to do if your ever in your bedroom and there's a fire (Dan was the assistant for this demonstration) we climbed, over, around, and inside a Fire truck, then took an amazing tour of their facilities. Their kitchen, bedrooms, gym, and communications center. Our tour was nearly 2 hours long, and while we were there, there were 2, 911 calls and we watched as the Fire Fighters suited up and left on call.
Danny demonstrating to the group how to check to see if a door is hot.


Firefighter Frank passing out Fire hats to the kids