Bountiful Mayor Kate Bradshaw joined local first responders Friday, Sept. 11, to honor the 343 firefighters killed in New York 25 years ago.

The morning ceremony marked the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Bradshaw, who also serves as president of the Utah League of Cities and Towns, said the day carries new weight now that she leads the city.

"When I hear sirens in my city, I get a little pit in my stomach," Bradshaw told Fox 13. She said she worries about her residents and about the first responders who rush toward danger.

Bradshaw was 20 at the time of the attacks. She said Bountiful firefighters used the ceremony to pay tribute to their comrades who died that day in New York.

Day of Service

The city also tied the anniversary to local action. Bountiful promoted a 9/11 Day of Service supporting the Bountiful Food Pantry, calling on residents to help fight hunger in the community. The city noted that 1 in 4 children in Davis County face food insecurity.

The food pantry effort gave residents a way to channel the anniversary into something tangible for their neighbors.

Statewide reflections

Bradshaw was not the only Utah leader marking the milestone. Gov. Spencer Cox called on residents to find common ground, saying people do not have to vote the same way or believe the same things to pack meals together or help a neighbor. Army veteran Marc Halliday, who served more than 24 years in the military including in military intelligence on the day of the attacks, said the losses remain personal. Halliday, who also spent about 20 years as a firefighter, told Fox 13 he lost friends that day.