SLO County ceremony honors first responders, civilians killed in Sept. 11 attack
San Luis Obispo residents gathered at Fire Station 1 on Thursday morning — the 24th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 — to honor first responders who died that day.
The ceremony started at 8:46 a.m., the time the first plane struck the North Tower.
San Luis Obispo Fire Chief Todd Tuggle looked out at a crowd of about 60 people, which included city leaders like Mayor Erica A. Stewart, firefighters and police officers.
“In this group, in this community, in our county, in this country we have firefighters, law enforcement officers, leaders who still to this day are willing to make the sacrifice that was made 24 years ago,” he said. “As we remember those that lost their lives that day, let us remember those who are willing to do so today.”
Tuggle also shared a statement recounting the events of Sept. 11 from the first aircraft hitting the World Trade Center to the fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.
He then led the crowd in a moment of silence to honor those killed by the attack.
“At this point I would like to take a moment of silence, or join me for a moment of silence, to remember the 2,977 lives lost that day, including 343 firefighters and 72 law enforcement officers who selflessly died trying to rescue those that were still trapped in the towers,” Tuggle said.
The event was smaller than in previous years — but no less powerful.
“We have shifted the focus to more of a personal experience,” Tuggle said.
The Fire Department provided 403 white roses to place on the memorial in honor of the 403 first responders killed in the line of duty.
Dedicated in 2015, the memorial features a 1,500-pound steel beam from the World Trade Center and 403 metal posts embedded in an arc for each first responder killed in the attack.
Tuggle approached the memorial first, and he spent several moments there before setting down his rose.
“Thank you for sharing with us this difficult but important day,” he said to the crowd.
This story was originally published September 11, 2025 at 12:29 PM.
