Twenty-five years. A quarter of a century. And yet millions of Americans can still remember where they were on Sept. 11, 2001, when many dropped what they were doing and tuned in, just in time to see the second plane strike the Twin Towers.

There were 2,977 victims at the attacks at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and at the plane crash in Shanksville involving United Airlines Flight 93.

Hundreds of rescuers lost their lives in the aftermath.

On Friday, Bradford Area First Responders, led by Bradford Township Fire Chief Dan Burkhouse, will hold a memorial event at 7:30 p.m. at the Pitt-Bradford softball field on Campus Drive.

Emergency responders will have reserved seating in the third-base side bleachers, and some of the first-base side bleachers. The rest of the first-base side bleachers will be open to the public, but seating is limited. Those attending are asked to bring lawn chairs to use.

A service will be held at the field.

Burkhouse said a lot of the first responders are young enough that 9/11 happened either before they were born, or when they were still in school.

“One of my assistant chiefs, my son Tim, would have been 9,” he said. “It’s a little bit different for him, because he’s lived it with me his entire life.

“He can remember in school, about lunch time they pretty much quit their studies for the day” and watched the news coverage of the attacks. “To me, watching it that day was pretty gruesome. I knew what was happening. I knew so many people were losing their lives.

“There’s a lot of people in the (emergency) service today that don’t have a clue.”

The chief said he has a connection to another horrific attack on Americans — Pearl Harbor, on Dec. 7, 1941, which forced America into World War II.

“My dad was on the U.S.S. Missouri when Japan signed the peace treaty September 2, 1945,” Burkhouse said.

That personal connection to such a historically significant event is so important.

“I’m going to talk about that,” he said, explaining a part of his planned remarks. “Disasters and tragedy are everywhere, but the thing that makes December 7 and September 11 (important), those were worldwide … they were attacks on U.S. soil that then affected the whole world.”

Following the service, an emergency vehicle procession will travel Wagner Avenue to West Washington Street, making sure to pass the American Legion Post 108, before turning onto North Center Street to pass the VFW Post 212, turning onto Barbour Street, Mechanic Street, Main Street, Davis Street and Jackson Avenue.

The Firemen’s Monument in Oak Hill Cemetery will be illuminated for 3 hours, 43 minutes in memory of the 343 firemen who died on 9/11.

Departments taking part in the service include Bradford Township, Bradford City, Lewis Run, Hilltop, Rew, Derrick City, Corydon Township, Lafayette Township and police from Bradford Township, Bradford City, state police, Pitt-Bradford and Foster Township.

Burkhouse said he’s expecting about 100 emergency responders.

“I’m absolutely not going to turn anybody away,” he said.