A hush washed over downtown Long Beach as city leaders gathered at Fire Station 1 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
Long Beach held a memorial ceremony on Friday, Sept. 11, where city officials and members of the Long Beach Police and Fire departments gathered to honor the lives lost and the bravery of first responders.
The ceremony began with a Last Alarm tribute at 9:11 a.m., a ceremonial wreath placement by police Chief Wally Hebeish and fire Chief Dennis Buchanan, and words of reflection by Mayor Rex Richardson.
A bell is tolled at 9:11 a.m. as a Last Alarm tribute during a ceremony led by Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson, right, marking the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, at Fire Station #1 in downtown Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson, at the podium, and members of the Long Beach fire and police departments commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, at Fire Station #1 in downtown Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Members of the Long Beach Fire Department mark the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, at Fire Station #1 in downtown Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Members of the Long Beach Police Department mark the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, at Fire Station #1 in downtown Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson, left, speaks alongside police chief Wally Hebeish during a ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, at Fire Station #1 in downtown Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach Fire Chief Dennis Buchanan, left, and Police Chief Wally Hebeish present wreaths during a ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, at Fire Station #1 in downtown Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Davey Armstrong plays Amazing Grace on bagpipes during a memorial ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, at Fire Station #1 in downtown Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson leads a ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, at Fire Station #1 in downtown Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach Fire Chief Dennis Buchanan stands alongside a wreath on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, at Fire Station #1 in downtown Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach Fire Chief Dennis Buchanan bows his head during an observance on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, at Fire Station #1 in downtown Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
A wreath commemorates the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, at Fire Station #1 in downtown Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
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A bell is tolled at 9:11 a.m. as a Last Alarm tribute during a ceremony led by Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson, right, marking the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, at Fire Station #1 in downtown Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
“We gather as one Long Beach community to remember the lives on Sept. 11, 2001,” Richardson said. “To honor the first responders who answered the call, to reflect on a day that changed our nation forever. For 25 years, communities all across America, including right here in Long Beach, have come together to keep that memory alive. We remember the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives on that day.”
The sacrifice of first responders carries a special meaning in Long Beach, the mayor said, as the men and women of the Fire and Police department stand ready to answer that call every day in the city. The mayor also recognized the families who carry the loss of their loved ones every day since the tragic events.
“We have to continue to tell the story. Talk with your children, tell them about the people behind those numbers, and we must pass forward the lessons of courage, service, unity and compassion that emerged from one of our country’s darkest moments,” Richardson added. “We must remember how, in the days after Sept. 11, Americans came together. Neighbors supported one another, communities looked after one another, and people found strength in a shared sense of purpose. That spirit still has power and it still matters today.”
A moment of silence followed, giving the Long Beach community a chance to reflect and honor the memories of those who were killed and the bravery of the first responders in New York, Pennsylvania and Northern Virginia on Sept. 11. The ceremony concluded with a bagpiper performance of “Amazing Grace.”
The Long Beach Fire Department and community members will also participate in the city’s inaugural memorial climb at the Long Beach World Trade Center on Saturday, Sept. 12. The stair climb will honor the 343 FDNY firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice on Sept. 11.
Participants will climb from the ground floor to the 22nd floor five times, 110 stories and approximately 2,200 steps, representing the height of the original World Trade Center towers in New York. For more information, visit longbeachstairclimb.com.