Whitefish’s planned 9/11 Memorial will serve as reminder of sacrifices made

The Whitefish Fire Department has fragments of steel beams from the twin towers, salvaged from the wreckage after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City. These pieces of history will soon be turned into a memorial outside the Emergency Services Building in Whitefish.

The Whitefish Firefighters Association recently secured permission from the Whitefish City Council to build the memorial in front of the Emergency Services Building (ESC) and will soon be raising funds for the project.

Whitefish Firefighter/Paramedic Sal Baccaro made a presentation to the council that featured architectural renderings of a 9/11 memorial that will utilize three large pieces of steel from the World Trade Center.

“The whole purpose of this [project] is we want to get that steel erected in that space so people can cherish it,” Baccaro said.

The Whitefish Fire Department obtained the steel beams through the Port of Authority of New York and New Jersey over 10 years ago and have been stored at the fire station. There was an effort to build the memorial previously, but unforeseen circumstances prevented its completion.

Now, the Whitefish Firefighters Association would like to see this project through to completion. They have formed a 9/11 Memorial Committee that is working with White Cloud Design to create a design for the project.

Mayor John Muhlfeld thanked Baracco for bringing the project forward. 

“I personally lost quite a few friends in 9/11,” Muhlfeld said and added that the project is long overdue. “It’ll be a great memorial to those that we lost and we certainly appreciate it on behalf of the council and the entire town.”

The proposed location for the memorial is the city-owned property in front of the ESC building, west of the parking lot. It is currently, as Baccaro said, a blank canvas.

The renderings show a peaceful gathering area with pieces of steel beams from the twin towers serving as a centerpiece. The design includes many places to sit nearby, a trio of flagpoles and complementing landscaping.

In addition to displaying the historical artifacts, one goal of the project is to educate those who did not experience or were too young to remember the tragedy. In order to provide information, QR codes will be available throughout the memorial so visitors can use their smartphones to scan them and read links about the events that happened on Sept. 11, 2001.

Baccaro noted that there are very few 9/11 memorials outside New York that honor the sacrifices that 343 firefighters, 72 police officers and eight emergency medical technicians made in service to others on that day.

“As first responders, we’re exposed to very traumatizing things on a regular basis and this landmark is a symbol of strength, honor and brotherhood,” Baccaro said.

He added that Whitefish’s first responders will pass by the 9/11 Memorial each time they respond to emergency calls and it will serve as a reminder to them to stay safe.

“We are requesting the city to allow the construction of this project to occur on city property at the Emergency Services Center,” Baccaro said in his presentation. “All expenses of the planning and construction will come from fundraising efforts through the Whitefish Firefighters Association.”

The total cost of the project is estimated to be approximately $1.2 to $1.5 million. There is no financial requirement to the city for the memorial, nor will the city be responsible for annual maintenance costs.

“Our goal [for completion] is 9/11, 2026 and that gives us tons of time to fundraise and to have the project done,” Baccaro said.

The year 2026 will be the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

The council voted unanimously to approve the use of city land for the 9/11 memorial.

    An architectural rendering of the 9/11 memorial showing the steel from the twin towers, flagpoles and landscaping. (Rendering by White Cloud Design)