Residents driving down E. Ramapo Ave. in Mahwah Thursday will notice a large memorial to the 403 police officers and firefighters who perished on 9/11.

Members of the Mahwah Exempt Firefighters Association spent Wednesday evening setting up a display of 403 American flags in the ground near the township’s 9/11 Memorial Tree. The display also contains three signs explaining what the flags represent - 343 New York City Fire Department firefighters, 23 New York City Police Department officers, and 37 Port Authority Police Department officers who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. A fourth sign simply reads “Never Forget.”

The Exempt Association began setting up the display last year, inspired by the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks, member Tom Dewan said. The flags are put up in time for the township’s 9/11 memorial ceremony, happening next Tuesday.

“In addition to the speeches, this gives people a visual representation that I think has a big impact,” Dewan said. “You can walk through and count the flags, knowing that each one represents a pour soul who was just trying to do his or her job.” 

The flag display will remain up for about a week after the 9/11 remembrance ceremony.

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