Heroic acts, united spirit paid tribute

The Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on America were a "defining moment" in history that continue to affect the nation and people around the world, Augusta Commissioner Calvin Holland said Thursday.

"Sept. 11 was a tragic day in our history, and as Americans we must continue to remember that it can happen again," he said during a morning memorial ceremony at the Augusta Common.

A crowd watched as the Augusta Fire Department Honor Guard rang bells in remembrance of the collapse of the World Trade Center towers and listened as the Fort Gordon Signal Corps Band played America the Beautiful and the national anthem.

Richmond County Sheriff Ronnie Strength praised the efforts of the nation's public safety workers, whose dedication he said he has witnessed during his 32-year career in law enforcement.

"That was a day our public safety folks stood up and the world saw what they were made of," he said.

In a reminder of the role public safety workers played after the attacks, several firefighters rushed away from the ceremony because of an emergency -- something Sheriff Strength noted in his remarks.

"Y'all know where they were going," he said. "They were going to help someone."

Mayor Deke Copenhaver recalled hearing the news of the attacks seven years ago.

"My first response was that I remember shock and horror, and I was really saddened," he told the audience. "But after that I remember this country coming together like I have never seen in my lifetime."

Reach Adam Folk at (706) 823-3339 or adam.folk@augustachronicle.com.