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EASTON, Conn. The Easton Fire Department recently received a steel piece of the World Trade Center to use as a memorial on the firehouse property.
"Being a firefighter is kind of like a brotherhood," said Fire Chief Jim Girardi. "No one told us we have to do it. It's a brotherhood that makes us honor 'line of duty' deaths."
Girardi has been working for more than a year to obtain a piece of the towers. Thanks to Eunice Hanson, he was able to contact someone who could help. The piece, an i-beam, arrived about three weeks ago. It's about 5 feet long, 8 inches wide and 30 inches deep. Girardi said it's a steel floor beam with shear studs.
The fire department is trying to get a design committee together to determine how the piece will be presented and how the beam will be secured to a base. Girardi said his objective is to have the monument finished by the 10th anniversary in September.
Each year, the fire department has placed 343 flags on the green to honor the firemen who died on Sept. 11. The flags are arranged in the shape of the two towers and a photo of the Hanson family, who were killed on one of the planes, is also placed on the memorial.
"We're honoring the firemen and the townspeople," said Girardi.
What do you think about the World Trade Center monument in Easton? Leave your comments below.
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