FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (Sept. 18, 2014) -- Three stained-glass panels designed to pay tribute to the firefighters and police officers who lost their lives during the 9/11 attacks were presented to the Fort Meade Directorate of Emergency Services in a ceremony on Sept. 11.
The reflective ceremony, held in the parking lot of the DES headquarters, was part of the garrison's annual 9/11 commemoration.
The stained-glass panels were unveiled before an audience of 100 people.
"I think it's great that people stepped up to make a great display," said Fort Meade Fire Chief E.J. Rouvet after the ceremony. "As long as it keeps people remembering, that's all we care about."
The left panel features the design of a firefighter helmet, while the right panel features the design of a police badge. The center panel features three firefighters and a piece of metal from one of the World Trade Center's twin towers.
The stained-glass panels will be permanently displayed at the entrance of DES headquarters.
Ray and Marge Nichols, two stained-glass designers and retired Baltimore County police officers, constructed the panels. Martha Hanson and Janet Parker, stained-glass designer artists from Paned Expressions Studios in Edgewood, created the design.
The project took two years to complete.
John Gorman, a retired police sergeant with the New York City/New Jersey Port Authority, presented the metal piece from the WTC to DES three years ago during the garrison's 10th commemoration of 9/11.
Chief Ray Kinsley, Fort Meade's fire prevention and training chief, kept the piece of metal on behalf of DES.
Two years ago, Kinsley and his wife, Susie, brought the metal with them to a barbecue hosted by Ray and Marge Nichols, who also are family friends. The Nichols decided to incorporate the metal in a stained-glass design to pay homage to the emergency responders killed on 9/11.
The couple later began working with Hanson and Parker to create and design the panels.
"As a police officer, I realize what most of you go through and sacrifice," Ray Nichols said during the presentation. "It was an honor to do this."
Deputy Installation Commander John Moeller, the guest speaker for the event, recalled the sacrifices made in the wake of the attacks.
"It's been 13 years since terrorists turned hijacked jets into weapons of mass destruction, smashing into the World Trade Center and Pentagon -- 13 years since New York City, New Jersey and D.C.-area emergency responders became the stuff of legend as firefighters, police officers and paramedic-emergency medical technicians followed the call of duty into the pages of history," Moeller said.
Rouvet said it is the duty of today's generation of firefighters, police officers, emergency responders and the American public to remember.
"We at the Fort Meade DES vowed then and continue to never forget the sacrifices made by our comrades who became casualties on that day," Rouvet said.
The ceremony included the presentation and retirement of the colors by the National Security Agency Police Honor Guard, and the invocation and benediction by Deputy Installation Chaplain (Lt. Col.) David E. Cooper.
The U.S. Army Field Band Brass Quintet played the National Anthem. The Montgomery County Firefighters Pipes and Drums performed "Amazing Grace."
The ceremony ended with "Taps."
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