September 11 Memorial I (c) 2008 William Lawrence

Located on the campus of the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland, the 9/11 Memorial honors the heroes of September 11, 2001. The “To Lift A Nation” sculpture by Stan Watts is based on the photograph of three firefighters raising the American flag at Ground Zero

by Thomas E. Franklin. The monument is 40 feet high, and each of the three bronze sculptures weighs over 5000 pounds. It is located in the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Park near the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial.

(c) 2008 Patty Hankins

According to Watts, “The monument and its flag are symbols of hope and courage for a nation deeply impacted by this tragedy. It honors a moment in the history of our country and reminds us of the bravery and sacrifice made by our firefighters and by thousands of citizens, from all walks of life, who selflessly serve humankind in times of need.”

September 11 Memorial II (c) 2008 William Lawrence

Emmitsburg is located about 90 miles from Washington, DC, and about 25 miles north Frederick, MD on Hwy 15. To see the memorial, turn onto South Seton Avenue from Hwy 15. The Campus of the National Fire Academy will be on your right. There is one small sign for the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial indicating where you turn off South Seton Ave to see the 9/11 Memorial.

(c) 2008 Patty Hankins

Once you are on FEMA’s property, proceed to the Security Office. All adults will need to register and hand in your driver’s licenses. The security guards will give you id tags, a parking pass, and directions to the memorial. We had no problems taking lots of photos of the Fallen Firefighters Memorial, the Memorial Chapel or the 9/11 Memorial. Since we were there in the middle of the day, we didn’t try to use a tripod, so I don’t know if there are any restrictions on tripod use at the site.