Community Corner
9/11 Ground Zero Flag Touring Toms River Fire Companies Saturday
Toms RIver's six fire companies plus Island Heights will hold a series of ceremonies as the flag is flown at each site. See the schedule.
TOMS RIVER, NJ — A U.S. flag that flew over the rubble of the Twin Towers after the terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, will be flown over each of the Toms River fire companies in a series of solemn ceremonies on Saturday.
The tour of the township's six fire companies plus the Island Heights Fire Company was announced earlier this month. The 3-foot-by-5-foot flag was sent to authorities in New York City shortly after the terror attacks by John Sullivan, the owner of American Flag Company of Forked River. It flew over the rubble of the Twin Towers for several weeks before it was retrieved.
Carl Weingroff of Toms River Volunteer Fire Company 1 said the flag later was flown in Iraq and Afghanistan with the militar, at the site of the capture of Saddam Hussein, and on aircraft carriers and in various military aircraft on missions.
Find out what's happening in Toms Riverfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The flag will be presented and ceremonies held at each of the six Toms River fire departments, where it will be flown on the fire company's flag pole for 9 minutes, 11 seconds. The flag also is accompanied by a small, marble cross that is believed to have been cut from the marble staircase of the South Tower.
The tour closes with a ceremony and refreshments at the Toms River Fire Academy on Church Road at about 4 p.m.
Find out what's happening in Toms Riverfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The schedule of stops is as follows, according to the fire companies:
- 10:30 a.m.: Toms River Fire Company 1, Robbins Street.
- 11:15 a.m.: Toms River Fire Company 2, Water Street
- Noon: Island Heights Volunteer Fire Company, Lake Avenue
- 1 p.m.: Ocean Beach Volunteer Fire Company, Kittiwake Avenue
- 1:45 p.m.: East Dover Volunteer Fire Company, Fischer Boulevard
- 2:30 p.m.: Silverton Volunteer Fire Company, Kettle Creek Road
- 3:15 p.m.: Pleasant Plains Volunteer Fire Company, Clayton Avenue
- 4 p.m.: Toms River Fire Training Academy, Church Road
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Photo by Karen Wall, Patch staff
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