911 Responders Remembered Park Adds 303 Names To Memorial Walls

911 Responders Remembered Park Holds Annual Naming Ceremony

On Saturday September 14th, the 911 Responders Remembered Park in Nesconset held their annual naming ceremony, in which they added 303 names to the wall. The purpose of the ceremony is to add names to the wall of 9/11 first responders who have passed away due to the toxic fumes inhaled on September 11th and its immediate aftermath. Numerous local elected officials attended this ceremony, including but not limited to Suffolk County Legislator Leslie Kennedy, Suffolk County Comptroller John M. Kennedy, New York State Senator Mario Mattera, and Smithtown Town Supervisor Ed Wehrheim.

Breaking ground in 2011, the park was the first of its kind in America, serving as a memorial to not only those who were killed on September 11th, but also to the first responders who have passed away due to 9/11 related illnesses in the years following the attack.

911 Responders Remembered Park is managed by a board of officials who help organize events and coordinate the maintenance of the park. The current president of the management board is Judi Simmons, whose late husband, Martin Simmons, was a FDNY Firefighter who passed in 2008 due to illnesses caused by the September 11th Attacks.

The managerial board estimates that they only have enough room on the walls of the park for one more year of names. There are plans to add more walls to the park, but these plans come with a hefty price tag; roughly $80,000. 911 Responders Remembered Park is a non-profit organization, and they rely on donations to keep the park alive. Even a small donation can go a long way in this regard.

As of this past Saturday, there are 2592 names on the walls at this park.