The sun was bright and you could feel its heat shining on your arms.

Wednesday morning was much like that fateful day one year ago. Only this time, no one was crying and fearing what would come next. It was a time for remembrance.

An audience of dozens of community members, flanked by members of the DeKalb fire and police departments, gathered Wednesday morning at the DeKalb Fire Department Station 1 to honor those lost on Sept. 11, 2001.

As a reminder that the Sept. 11 attacks have not changed the country’s way of life, a call came into the station that required a response.

“It was just a normal on-duty day,” Joe Admonis, firefighter-paramedic, said.

At 9:05 a.m., the same time the South Tower was struck Sept. 11, 2001, a metallic silver fire bell was chimed 15 times.

Perched next to the bell was a sign with the names of the 343 New York firefighters who perished in the attacks.

Fire Chief Lanson Russell opened the ceremony immediately after the bell chiming and spoke before silent audience members who bowed their heads in quiet reflection.

“Their response to the acts of terror was unbelievable,” he said of his fellow firefighters. “They were ordinary people who wanted to do their jobs.”

While looking on as the bell rang, Admonis said he had flashbacks to New York, when he and others from the department went to volunteer their services. Those are memories he’s been thinking about all year.

“Everyone else is thinking about it today, but we have been for 365,” he said.

Admonis eluded to his thoughts about the country as a whole.

“Our will and drive is still there and we won’t be deterred,” Admonis said.

Russell ended by saying, “We are asked to move on, but I ask that you keep the ones affected by this in your prayers.”

At 9:28 a.m., when the North Tower collapsed, the bell rang for a final time.