At a 9/11 commemoration on campus, a University of New Haven faculty member reminded the crowd that if another terrorist attack occurs, alumni would be among the first responders.

Former East Haven fire chief and current fire science and professional studies department faculty Wayne Sandford spoke about the city of New York and the actions that were taken to ensure that the death toll of the attack did not rise. . 

Sandford recognized the 343 firefighters, 23 police officers, and 37 Port Authority officers who died in the attacks. He talked about the actions of employees on transportation systems such as subways and ferries, who chose to stray from protocol. Their actions are credited with saving lives.

“There’s a lot of stories like that,” Sandford said. “People took initiative and did what needed to be done.”

The University of New Haven held a ceremony to commemorate the 18th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks. Students and staff gathered to hear speakers discuss and remember the events of 9/11, when terrorists attacked the  World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington D.C., killing almost 3,000 people.

Sanford said  that if events similar to the Sept. 11 attacks were to occur today, University of New Haven alumni would be among the people who would be respond to the emergencies.

“Keep in mind those alumni that are out there working today and what they would do if this happened today,” Sanford said.

University president Steven Kaplan also spoke about Sept. 11 and the importance of taking the time to remember them.

“Recalling the devastation of that day is naturally filled with sorrow,” said Kaplan. “Still, our students understand that we must never forget this day.”

The event concluded with attendees placing American flags around a memorial tree on campus.