On August 28, a 6 to 10 foot steel beam from the World Trade Center will arrive in Arlington to serve as a memorial to those who lost their lives on 9/11.
The steel is a gift from the the Fire Family Transport Foundation, an NYC-based firefighters’ charity, and members of the New York Fire Department. Two years ago a similar donation was made to Shanksville, Pa., the crash site of United Flight 93.
Police cars, 500 motorcyclists and NYFD’s ceremonial Engine 343 (named in honor of the 343 firefighters who died when the twin towers collapsed) will escort the beam from Brooklyn to Arlington. A brief arrival ceremony is expected to be held at the Pentagon Memorial, to be followed by a more elaborate ceremony the next day.
The Arlington Fire Department is still planning the August 29 event, but it will likely take place at Fire Station 5 in Pentagon City, which was the first to respond to the Pentagon after it was hit by American Airlines Flight 77.
At a county board meeting on Tuesday, Arlington fire chief James Schwartz says a final resting place for the beam has not been decided, but said it may be placed next to a piece of limestone from the Pentagon.
Board member Barbara Favola asked if the beam could be converted into a piece of public art and displayed “in a visually attractive way.”
“It really is more like a memorial, and public art and memorials are two different things, I’m told,” Schwartz said.