A number of remembrance ceremonies are scheduled today to pay tribute to the lives lost on the tragic day 11 years ago. Our Brad Vivacqua has the details of a ‘living memorial’ that will take place this morning.

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Beginning at 8:30 a.m., Mayor Miner will join city officials and the county executive at Firefighters Park to remember the victims of 9/11. There will be no speeches or announcements, but rather 17 minutes of silence, which represents the length of time between each plane hit the towers of the World Trade Center eleven years ago.

Members of the Syracuse Firefighters Association will participate in a living memorial at the park. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., firefighters will sit in 30 minute intervals as they recreate the pose of the lone FDNY firefighter captured in a photo from eleven years ago.

The action allows local firefighters to reflect and remember the 343 firefighters who lost their lives that day.

"It becomes a little cumbersome on you after thirty minutes of not moving. And, you sit there, and you reflect on what changed the world that day and the events of September 11th. And, it's an internal thing as well as people walking by, wanting to know what you're doing and why you're doing it. And, we'd just like to bring attention to how the world was changed that day," said James Donnelly, Syracuse Firefighters Association.

In addition to the city ceremony, today is recognized by Congress as a National Day of Service. People across the country are encouraged to volunteer today and do some community service as a way to pay tribute to victims and survivors.

Here in Syracuse, members of the Central New York United Way will be helping clean up the Hawley-Green neighborhood and they'll also be building a rock garden.

Officials say whether it's a small or large effort, performing community service today can have a substantial impact.

"I think getting people together on 9/11 is an important way of honoring and remembering the people who we lost. The people who are still moving forward from the results of 9/11. It's a great way to build our community and make us stronger, strengthen our neighborhood so that Central New York can be the great place that it is to live and work," said Kelly Gaggin, CNY United Way Marketing Director.

If you'd like to help the group, you can join the United Way at their headquarters at 9:30 a.m. at 518 James Street in Syracuse.