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WTC Steel Beam Dedicated To MDFR In Doral

MIAMI (CBS4)- With the 10th anniversary of 9-11 just days away, South Florida firefighters gathered to dedicate a piece of history.

A piece of a steel beam from the World Trade Center was dedicated as a memorial at Miami-Dade Fire Rescue headquarters in Doral.

A decade hasn't faded the images or the memories of the dark days following 9/11.  They were days of grueling work at ground zero for a group of Miami-Dade Firefighters.

Chief William Bryson recalled his experience.

"We went by a fire station when we got into New York City," he said, adding,  "up on the board from three days earlier were the names of the firefighters that responded to Ground Zero. None of them came back and their names would not ever be removed."

Now the fire department has its own permanent symbol of sacrifice.  It was dedicated during a somber ceremony.

Firefighter Ralph Gonzalez, who also responded to Ground Zero said he's honored to have the steel beam, "To bring a piece of 9/11, of the World Trade Center here to our department makes me very proud to be able to participate,  although it was a tragedy -- to have participated and helped in the way that we helped."

Miami-Dade will receive a second piece of steel from the World Trade Center, CBS4's Maggie Newland reported. That one, which hasn't arrived yet, will be part of the "Heroes of September 11th" Memorial at Fire Station 3.

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