Remembering 9/11 Amid Coronavirus: Services In Palatine

PALATINE, IL — Over the years, the nation has come together at ceremonies in Palatine and other U.S. communities to commemorate the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

However, as the 19th anniversary of the attacks arrives, ceremonies are likely to look different.

To date, more than 6 million Americans have tested positive for COVID-19, prompting community leaders to put in place extra precautions and enhanced safety measures at these annual events. While some communities are moving events online, others are canceling events out of an abundance of caution.

Palatine is one of many communities planning 9/11 ceremonies amid the pandemic.

On Friday, the Village of Palatine will be hosting a memorial ceremony at the Palatine Firefighters Memorial at the corner of N. Brockway and W. Slade Streets in downtown Palatine. According to a news release from the Palatine Fire Department, due to Phase 4 restrictions of the Restore Illinois plan, unfortunately only those directly involved in the ceremony will be present and the historic assembly of firefighters and police officers will not occur. Should members of the public attend, the Village respectfully asks that all social distancing guidelines are strictly adhered to, the fire department said, in the news release.

Palatine Fire Department Honor Guard members will be marching to the memorial site from Fire
Station 85 at 39 E. Colfax Street. The ceremony will begin with the arrival of the procession at
approximately 9 a.m., and will last 20 minutes, according to the news release.

Members of the Palatine Fire Department Honor Guard will place a wreath at the memorial and will perform a ceremonial ringing of the bell to signify a firefighter’s last Call of Duty. The Village of Palatine will record the event, which will be available via the Village of Palatine’s Facebook page, website and public access Channel 6 throughout the month.

"Members of the Palatine Police and Fire Departments appreciate the public’s understanding in this ceremonial modification and encourage all to reflect on the events of that day and please 'Never Forget,'" the department said, in the news release.

Services held at 9/11 attack sites will also look different this year because of the pandemic. Some have already faced a series of hurdles to go on as planned.

In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo plans to send state health personnel to New York City to provide supervision during the annual "Tribute in Light" ceremony, a commemoration of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

Cuomo said staff will be on hand to “ensure this year's tribute is held safely.”

Cuomo's announcement came just days after 9/11 Memorial & Museum officials had nixed the 2020 tribute due to coronavirus concerns.

Now, the focus of the New York City commemoration will be reading the names of victims. Family members will not read the names in person this year; instead, recorded readings from the museum’s In Memoriam exhibition will be used for the ceremony.

In Arlington County, Virginia, located just outside Washington, D.C., the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial remains closed to visitors because of COVID-19 restrictions. Arlington County typically holds an annual remembrance ceremony, which this year will be held virtually. Specific plans for this year’s service will be released the week of Sept. 11, according to county spokesperson Erika Moore.

In Pennsylvania, the National Park Service will hold an abbreviated ceremony at Shanksville. The 20-minute “Moment of Remembrance” is set to begin at 9:45 a.m., without a keynote speaker or musical guests.

The names of each passenger and crew member from Flight 93 will be read aloud with the ringing of the “Bells of Remembrance,” according to the agency’s website.

Both President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden plan to visit Shanksville on Friday. Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, will attend Sept. 11 memorial ceremonies in New York this year.