Watertown firefighters remember late battalion chief with 9/11 flag ceremony

Jun. 10—WATERTOWN — The only local firefighter who died as a result of the efforts after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks was honored earlier this week when an American flag that flew over ground zero made its way to Watertown.

City firefighters and others remembered Battalion Chief David Lachenauer during a ceremony in which a ground zero flag flew at the South Massey Street fire station on Wednesday.

The ground zero flag came to Watertown as part of a four-day run to Albany.

A Port Authority Police Officer had the 3-foot by 5-foot flag made to honor a colleague who died on Sept. 11. It flew on the rubble days after two planes flew into the World Trade Center in Manhattan.

Battalion Chief Lachenauer died in 2018 after being diagnosed with cancer, which was linked to exposure to toxic materials during his service at ground zero following the attack. He was 61.

Fire Chief Matthew R. Timerman said that having the flag fly at the fire station reminded him of the sacrifice that Battalion Chief Lachenauer made.

So many years later, it's easy to go on with our lives and not properly recognize the sacrifices that so many firefighters and first responders made on the day, Chief Timerman said. But we all need to remember that day, he added.

"Specifically with Dave, we need to remember the loss and sacrifice that he and his family gave on 9/11," Chief Timerman said.

The flag, made by a small American flag manufacturer in Virginia, spent the night on Wednesday at the 10th Mountain Division monument at Thompson Park before embarking on a journey to Albany as part of a cross-country trek.

The Ground Zero Flag Team, a group of caretakers of the flag, hope that the flag will ultimately arrive at the site of the World Trade Center and be retired.