Friday marked the 14-year anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon in New York City.

The United States Congress in 2001 passed a bill giving the president authority to proclaim Sept. 11 Patriot Day, a national day of mourning. In 2009, Congress passed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which revised the presidential authority to include the date as a National Day of Service and Remembrance.

Senator Patty Murray issued this statement Friday morning:

“Fourteen years ago today, in the midst of terrible loss and unthinkable horror, people across Washington state and around the country came together in an amazing display of triumph over terror. Regardless of race, religion, or political party, we united as Americans. Today, as we mark the anniversary of September 11th, I encourage everyone to remember those we lost and honor those who so bravely stepped up to protect our families and our freedoms, inspiring so much incredible compassion and service to others. Let us never forget the strong American spirit that can conquer in the face of great tragedy.”

In 2015, Gov. Jay Inslee proclaimed Sept. 11 as “9-1-1 Day” to recognize the service of emergency dispatchers.

The Issaquah Police Department and the neighboring Snoqualmie Police Department are served by Issaquah’s own communications center staffed 24 hours a day and handling 63,000 calls each year.

“Dispatchers are the most unseen members of the emergency services team,” read a press release sent out by the city of Issaquah on Friday. “[They] are often called ‘the first first responders,’ because they frequently have first contact with the victim, patient or witness.”