Sound Beach memorial gets Ground Zero steel

A piece of steel from Ground Zero has been delivered to the Sound Beach Fire Department, to become part of the department’s 9/11 memorial.

The section of rusty girder was accompanied by an honor guard from the Freeport National Guard, who escorted the metal April 21 from a hangar at Kennedy Airport to the fire department.

“Standing so close and actually touching this steel was an incredibly moving experience for me,” said Brookhaven Councilwoman Jane Bonner, who represents Sound Beach and witnessed the girder’s arrival at the fire department. “To include it in a memorial will be a fitting tribute to all those who perished in the attacks of 9/11, especially the first responders who gave their lives to save others.”

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has donated Ground Zero steel to non-profit organizations and others who applied for the material for use in memorials.