Montgomery County marks the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks Friday with two public ceremonies honoring 11 county residents killed that day.

Potomac-area residents can attend either event. The morning ceremony begins at 9 a.m. at Courthouse Square Park in Rockville, at the corner of East Jefferson Street and Maryland Avenue. It is free and open to the public, according to the City of Rockville. A second ceremony starts at 7 p.m. at the Kensington Volunteer Fire Station, 10620 Connecticut Ave.

The Rockville memorial sits in a grassy area circled by 11 benches, one for each victim, each inscribed with a detail about that person's character. A plaque behind two doors bears all 11 names. Artists Gene and Susan Flores designed the memorial, commissioned by the Montgomery County Arts and Humanities Council, working with astronomers so the morning sun briefly illuminates each name every Sept. 11.

The 11 county residents killed were William E. Caswell, Dr. Gerald P. Fisher, Capt. Lawrence D. Getzfred, Michele M. Heidenberger, Angela M. Houtz, Teddington H. Moy, Lt. Darin H. Pontell, Scott A. Powell, Todd H. Reuben, Patricia J. Statz and Ernest M. Willcher.

The Kensington fire station holds its own memorial, anchored by a 16-foot-long steel beam from the 94th floor of the World Trade Center's north tower. A plaque honors the passengers and crew of United Flight 93, and a piece of the Pentagon recovered after the attack is also on display, Patch reported.

Pentagon survivor Brian Birdwell headlines the evening ceremony. On Sept. 11, 2001, Birdwell was working in the Pentagon's outer E-Ring when American Airlines Flight 77 struck yards from his office. He was the sole survivor from that section, suffering burns over more than 60 percent of his body. He was awarded the Purple Heart. Birdwell now serves as the Assistant Secretary of War for Sustainment after the Senate confirmed him in May 2026.

In a Sept. 8 interview with CBN, Birdwell reflected on his survival: "It's just that reminder that the Lord's still in charge. I mean, even though we live in a physical world, he's still in command of both the physical and the spiritual."

Retired Kensington Volunteer Fire Department Chief James Stanton and Montgomery County Fire Chief Corey Smedley will also speak at the evening ceremony.

County Executive Marc Elrich said in a statement that Sept. 11 remains a deeply personal loss for many Montgomery County families and called on residents to preserve the memory of those killed.

Upcoming

• Friday, Sept. 11, 9 a.m. Rockville 9/11 remembrance ceremony, Courthouse Square Park, East Jefferson Street and Maryland Avenue. Free and open to the public.
• Friday, Sept. 11, 7 p.m. Kensington 9/11 remembrance ceremony, Kensington Volunteer Fire Station, 10620 Connecticut Ave.