56th CES Hosts 9/11 Memorial Service

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Andrew Baird, 56th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter, rings a ceremonial bell during a 9/11 memorial event, Sept. 11, 2025, at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. The 56th CES hosted a memorial run, flag raising, last call, and bell ceremony in honor of those who died during the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The ringing of the bell is a fire service tradition that is over 150 years old. Typically used to mark the start of a shift, sound alarms, and announce the completion of a call, in ceremonies the bell serves as the final tribute in a line-of-duty death ceremony, where the bell is rung three times in three sets to signify a firefighter’s last alarm. In memory of all who died during the 9/11 attacks, the bell is instead rung in a solemn pattern of five rings repeated five times, a multiplication totaling 3,125; a number closest to the total lives lost during the attacks. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Elias Carrero)