An employee of O’Hara’s bar in lower Manhattan affixes the emblem of the Gulfport Fire Department to the bar, only a block from where the towers fell on September 11, 2001. Photo courtesy of Christine Brown.A little far from home, a Gulfport Fire Department badge was displayed among hundreds of other police and fire department emblems at a famous New York City pub, O’Hara’s. The local fire department was represented on June 25, when Gulfport Councilmember Christine Brown visited the bar, only a block south of where the twin towers fell on September 11, 2001 at 120 Cedar Street in lower Manhattan. “My husband and I are retired Gulfport volunteer firefighters,” Brown said. “[O’Hara’s] sustained damaged but still helped many people during the tragedy.” The Big Apple watering hole has become a memorial and tourist spot of those who wish to honor the 2,750 people who lost their lives in the New York terrorist attack – including over 400 first responders, according to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum website, 911memorial.org.
Photo courtesy of Christine Brown