Honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice

Nevada firefighters stand at attention as a bell was rung to honor the fallen of Sept. 11, 2001. Captain Tim Bullard told the assembled audience, 'Always remember, never forget' the events of that day. --Steve Moyer/Nevada Daily Mail

The memorial service was attended by approximately 30 people who assembled in a circle in front of the main doors of the department on Austin Boulevard. As the firefighters stood at attention Lieutenant Kelly Wingert rang the bell in a series known as "Last Call" on the department's ceremonial bell, three sets of five chimes.

Last Call is a tradition dating back to when fire departments used bells to signal activities. Five chimes was the signal to go out on a call.

"Three sets of five chimes was the signal that everyone had returned to the station," Bullard said.

Over time the signal came to be used at retirements and funerals because the person honored by the signal had gone to their last fire call. Today the call was used to honor all those who lost their lives on that clear September morning seven years ago when America suffered the worst attack in the nation's history.

Bullard told the audience that the people who died that day should not be remembered as victims but as people who made a sacrifice.

"We honor the sacrifice they made to give us this gift," Bullard said. "The firefighter entering a burning tower, the private at the Pentagon, the passenger breaking down the door of a hijacked airliner, even the woman just trying to get down the stairs who reached out to help a stranger. We're better prepared today because of the sacrifice that they made and we honor them for it. Always remember, never forget what happened on that day."

Bullard called the firefighters to attention and asked the crowd to observe a moment of silence. After the moment of silence he put the firefighters at ease and the ceremony was over.