PORT ANGELES — With their badges shining and uniforms immaculate, law enforcement officers and firefighters gathered at Francis Street Park on Saturday afternoon to reflect on the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

“This is a time for us as Americans to just do what we’re doing,” said Alan Barnard, who conceived the idea for the park’s Public Safety Monument and organized Saturday’s event.

Meaning of attack

Community members flanked the emergency responders clustered under the day’s sunshine and listened to musings of what the third anniversary of the terrorist attacks means.

“Prior to 9/11, I think we took a lot of freedoms for granted,” Port Angeles Police Chief Tom Riepe said.

“I woke up this morning and opened my eyes and realized, I won the lottery.”

Both Riepe and city Fire Chief Dan McKeen said they see the world differently since that day their colleagues in New York lost their lives in attacks that generated a response across the nation.

“I have a greater sense of pride for my profession than I did prior to 9/11,” and greater pride for his community, McKeen said.