SALISBURY — Sept. 11 was designated as a state holiday in 2017, and the city, which has proclaimed Sunday “First Responders Day,” will hold its annual memorial service at 8:30 a.m. at Fire Station 5 on South Main Street.

The department dedicated an expanded Salisbury-Rowan Firefighter’s Memorial at Station 5 on the first anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on America. Since then, the department has held a service every year on the anniversary to pay tribute to first responders and citizens who lost their lives that day in New York, in Washington, D.C., and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. They also pay tribute to Rowan County first responders who have died in the last year.

According to a proclamation from Mayor Karen Alexander, the city’s fire department “has 90 full-time employees that work out of six stations…and the police department has 69 sworn positions,” all of whom merit recognition and thanks, on Sept. 11, but every day as well. “Their vision is to create an environment in which citizens and visitors feel safe in all parts of the city.”

“We encourage our community to take time out of their day to show first responders and their families how much we value their service to our cities, counties and state,” Alexander said. “I further acknowledge the recognition of service and sacrifice, both in the past and that which is yet to come, can be done through small acts of kindness and simple words of praise.”

The memorial event is open to the public and will include, among other actions, a color guard presentation, roll call of fallen members and the laying of a wreath at the memorial in honor of all fallen first responders.