In September of 2009, The September 11^th Families Association in conjunction with the Port Authority of NY & NJ began taking

             requests from organizations interested in obtaining a steel artifact recovered from the World Trade Center site.  The intent of this

             project was for steel artifacts to be used in creation of memorials to honor those who lost their lives that day, and to show their

             families and our nation that they will never be forgotten.
 

             In October of 2009, Eric O’Connor & Mike Saville from the FPFD submitted a letter requesting an artifact.  In January 2010,

             confirmation was sent that we were chosen to receive an 18’ 10” steel artifact.  In February 2011, after almost two years of

             paperwork, emails, and phone calls, the FPFD was notified that the steel artifact was ready to be picked up. 

             On April 27^th, a convoy consisting of members of the fire department, the Nassau County Fire Riders, and a flat bed truck donated

             by ProBuild Company LLC, headed to Hangar 17 at JFK airport to receive the steel artifact.   Hangar 17 houses not only hundreds

             of steel artifacts from the WTC, but many other relics that were salvaged such as FDNY apparatus, and even a bike rack with

             bicycles still in it from that day. 

             As the beam left the hangar, its condition quickly reminded everyone of the devastation and destruction that had occurred on that

             dark day.  Those present were so moved; words cannot begin to express the emotions.  After being placed on the truck, the beam

             was symbolically shrouded in a large American Flag, followed by a brief moment of silence before the convoy began their

             solemn journey back to town.  A brief ceremony was held in front of Fire HQ attended by members of the Fire Department,

             local clergy, and  village officials, including Mayor Tom Tweedy.

             In the following weeks, a WTC Relic Committee was formed, consisting of Mayor Tom Tweedy, several members from the

             fire department, village officials, local architect Frank Gunther, local engineer Tim Tweedy, and Frank deOliveira from Alliance

             Welding.  The committee has been working tirelessly for the past several months in planning and designing a poignant memorial to

             be erected in the village for the 10^th anniversary of 9/11. 

             The Village of Floral Park lost 11 residents on September 11^th, 2001.  It is our job as a community to not only honor those that were
             lost that day, but to show their families that their loved ones WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN!!!!