With bagpipers playing “Amazing Grace” in the background, the veil covering the 9/11 memorial was slowly lifted, revealing a project that had been in the works for more than a year.

An estimated 600 people turned out on Sunday, Sept. 11, for the 15th anniversary of one of this country’s most tragic days. For many, it was the first time they got to see the memorial, which stands in front of the Sedona Fire District’s Station 6 on State Route 179. Its centerpiece is a 5 1/2-foot long, 2,900-pound steel girder from one of the Twin Towers in New York City. Holding them up are two separate pieces of steel, each standing — appropriately enough — 9 feet, 11 inches. The memorial also includes benches and donor plaques honoring those who donated and especially the nearly 3,000 civilians and first responders who lost their lives that day.

“I’m honored to be here today on a day of remembrance to honor those who died that fateful day 15 years ago,” SFD Chief Kris Kazian said to the large crowd. “It’s one of those moments in time when we all remember where we were. This memorial stands before us today as a reminder of what happened that fateful day.”

The memorial was the brainchild of former SFD Governing Board member and current Sedona City Councilman Scott Jablow, a retired Port Authority of New York & New Jersey officer. Two years ago he had contacted the organization that has provided thousands of artifacts to municipalities, charitable organizations and fire stations across the country to put on display. Originally he was turned down but last summer he got word that the girder was available as long as the shipping was paid for.

“When the Sedona Fire District received one of the last remaining artifacts of the World Trade Center, I became almost obsessed with fundraising because we had a deadline to get it done in less than one year,” Jablow told the crowd. “This labor of love has been so much more involved than anyone had anticipated. On behalf of every member of the 9/11 committee, I extend my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the governing board and management and staff of the Sedona Fire District.”

Afterward, Jablow said he was impressed with the community’s response by way of donations and attendance at Sunday’s event.

“On Sept. 11, 2015, SFD held its first memorial at Station 6 to kick off our fundraising project and an impressive 60 people attended and the girder was just sitting on the bay floor,” he said. “Yesterday, we estimate that over 600 people joined us for this amazing event and it was very humbling.

“One thing that I learned yesterday was that there are many people who really had connections to that tragic day. I spoke with dozens of folks who lost family members that were not first responders that were appreciative that even 2,700 miles away in the small city of Sedona, they now had some way of reconnecting with those lost.”

The event included a free lunch for attendees, cake and a commemorative coin given to everyone. Like the memorial, the lunch and everything associated with it was paid for through donations and volunteers. In all, around $88,000 was raised through corporate and private donations for the memorial.

“This was an amazing day,” Sedona resident Shirley Smith said. “I’ve passed the station several times since the memorial was completed but there’s nothing like seeing it up close and realizing what it represents. I got chills as they unveiled it. Everyone involved should be proud of this as should the entire community.”

One of the more moving moments of the ceremony included the hand ringing of a brass bell that included four sets of five rings. According to an article in the New York Times, “The 5-5-5-5 code has been used in the city’s firehouses since 1870. It signals a death, generally of a colleague or the mayor, and tells firefighters to lower the American flag to half-staff.”

The duties of ringing the bell went to SFD’s Ed Mezulis, who afterward expressed how much of an honor it was to do so.

“The first emotion is one of honor and humility,” he said. “Knowing the history of what it represents makes it a very big deal to me. Prior to the fire service I was in the U.S. Navy, both of these organizations are steeped in tradition and it is what drew me to these careers.

“Secondly I was very, very nervous. It seems like a simple task but I was up there trying to time the five strikes to be evenly spaced and strike the bell to create the same tone every time. I also lost track for a split second and could not remember if I had done three or four sets. Even after practicing it dozens of times I still was concerned about screwing it up.”