Ground Zero Piece of Steel Arrives at Brewster Firehouse
The Brewster Volunteer Fire Department received the final piece of steel from the fallen World Trade Center last Wednesday, traveling in a motorcade from JFK Airport to Main Street in the village where it will call the firehouse a permanent home.
With several dignitaries, past and present first responders, and curious residents on hand, the slab of steel that required several firefighters to carry inside the firehouse, was lauded as a symbol to always remember September 11 and how the heroic actions of many on that day. A ceremony was held to bless the steel and also remember late Brewster resident and volunteers Glenn Bisogno, who died March 5 of this year from cancer that’s connected to working in the recovery effort of 9-11 more than a decade ago.
Fire Commissioner Gerald Schramek, who spearheaded the project that took almost three years, described 9-11 as day that stood still and said the immense effort to bring steel to Brewster was worth it.
“It’s a day where lives were shattered, hearts were broken and dreams were not to be fulfilled,” Schramek said.
As of August 2013, medical authorities concluded 1,140 people who worked, lived or studied near Ground Zero have been diagnosed with cancer, attributed to the toxic conditions in the area, Schramek said. More than 1,400 rescue workers who responded to the scene days and months after the attacks have died, Schramek added.
“We take this day very personally,” Schramek said of the steel ceremony and Bisogno’s remembrance. “It’s a very important day to the Brewster Fire Department.”
Schramek said Bisogno was a husband father, grandfather, son and brother. He was an EMT for 22 years and rescued many residents in the Brewster community, some that don’t even know him. Bisogno was 57-years-old when he died.
Elected officials like Sheriff Don Smith and County Executive MaryEllen Odell also gave brief remarks.
Smith said the piece of steel “represents a way of life, it represents a 239-year experiment in democracy that is the envy of the entire world except for a few horrific people that hate our way of life.”
Odell said she was proud to see another “national treasure” come to Putnam that shows how patriotic the county is. To further honor Bisogno, Odell intends to have a flag raised in his name as part of the county’s Row of Honor that is put up around Veterans Day on Lake Gleneida.
Mother and father, Louisa and Tom Bisogno, described their son’s unselfish dedication to the department and people around him. Louisa said the ceremony was meant to recognize Glenn and other emergency service personnel that went down to the Ground Zero in the aftermath of the terrible attack on America.
“They paid a price that they wouldn’t have paid otherwise,” Louisa said.
Tom recalled Glenn was always ready to help people, including this family. Shortly before Glenn died, he changed a light at his parents’ house in the backyard where they parked so they could see where they were going when they approached the door.
“Every time I come in, I see the light come on and it’s Glenn and I say thank you because I know he’s around,” Tom said, with Louisa adding “He’s with us always.”
