9/11 SALUTE -- Tom Dillard plays Taps as the flag is lowered to half mast for the September 11 memorial service at Taymouth Township Fire Department, Sunday, September 9. Over a hundred people attended the ceremony that honored the 343 firefighters who lost their lives in the attacks. Dillard has played the bagpipes for around 30 years . (TCC Photo by Hillary Darling)

Taymouth Fire Department Captain Bill Shappee Jr. remembers pausing from work to watch on TV as the second plane hit. "It's like it wasn't real," he recalled.

Around 50 firefighters like Smith and Shappee stood reverent as the timeline of the terrorist attacks were read at the Saginaw County Fire Association's 9/11 Memorial service last Sunday, September 9. The ceremony honored the 343 firefighters who lost their lives in the attacks.

This year was the fourth year the association has conducted the services, always on the Sunday closet to the tragedy's anniversary at different fire stations in the county.

The ceremony began at 2 p.m. as local heroes walked in. Representatives from 21 fire departments were recognized, along with a representative from the Saginaw County Sheriff Department and Birch Run Village Police. After a welcome by Master of Ceremonies Adrienne Broaddus, of WNEM channel 5, a bell rang four sets of five rings, 5-5-5-5, the fire alarm box at The World Trade Center.

Saginaw Fire Association Chaplin Reverend Jeff Williams then prayed for the firefighters and families.

Tom Dillard played the bagpipes as the Honor Guard lowered the stars and stripes to half mast. Broaddus then read the timeline of the attacks. The bells then rang the signal of a fire service death in the line of duty.

Speakers Tom Quaderer, Chief of Maple Groove Township Fire Department and representative of The Fire Chief's Association; Tim Novak, member of The County Board Of Commissioners; and Dr. Roger Kahn, State Senator, addressed the crowd.

Kahn addressed issues with additional funding for firefighter training programs and independent funding for the Bureau of Fire Services. "It's my hope that at the end of the month this issue will be resolved, if not I'll keep working on it," he said after the service. Kahn also hopes to give a minimum wage tax credit to volunteer fire fighters.

After the speeches, the flag was then raised to full mast as some of the audience put their hands over their hearts for The Star Spangled Banner.

Firefighters, their families and those simply there to remember the heroes joined each other for lemonade, tea and cookies after the service.

About 124 people attended the event, recognizing the sacrifices of firefighters and their families.

"Sometimes it's kind of scary," said Bobby Palmer, the twelve-year-old son of Taymouth firefighter Bob Palmer, of his father's work, "like when [dad] goes away to fires, I don't know if he is coming back."