25th anniversary tribute recalls 9-11 accounts of heroism

By Ed Pierce

It’s been a quarter of a century since the terrorist attacks on America on 9-11, but it’s something that continues to haunt many people locally and led American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 to create an anniversary tribute and day of remembrance in Windham on Friday, Sept. 11.

Yvonne Johnson of American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 was
the emcee and organizer of an event recalling the tragic events
of 9-11, lives lost during the terrorist attacks on America and 
the bravery of first responders held at the Windham Veterans
Center on Friday, Sept. 11. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

Created and organized by Post 148 Second Vice Commander Yvonne Johnson, the gathering at the Windham Veterans Center featured guest speakers, Windham public safety leaders and emotional stories of canine rescues and lost lives.

Johnson introduced Post 148 Commander Tom Theriault who described in detail events that led to nearly 3,000 Americans perishing in terrorist-hijacked flights used as guided missiles to strike the World Trade Center Towers in New York City and at The Pentagon in Washington, D.C. while another hijacked flight crashed after passengers fought back over the skies of Pennsylvania.

Windham Fire-Rescue Chief Brent Libby and Windham Police Captain Jason Burke discussed firefighters and police officers who gave their lives attempting to save those trapped in buildings struck by the terrorists.

In all a total of six Mainers died on 9-11 including one serving in the military at The Pentagon and five who were aboard planes that were hijacked that day.

During the tribute, K-9 officers and their police handlers from Windham, Gorham and Westbrook stood by while Johnson related to the audience the story of K-9 Trakr, a German Shepherd police dog from Canada who helped search for survivors at Ground Zero after the 9-11 attacks.

“Trakr was handled by Canadian police officer James Symington and helped locate Genelle Guzman-McMillan, who was trapped under the rubble as the last living survivor from the South Tower 27 hours after the towers fell,” Johnson said.

In 2008, seven years after the tragedy, Symington won a contest to clone the dog, resulting in the birth of five puppy Trakr clones in 2009, Johnson said.

She then presented pins and medals for the local K-9 and their handlers in memory of K-9 Trakr and New York Port Authority K-9 Sirius, whose remains were found in 2002 in the wreckage of the World Trade Center’s South Tower after his handler had been injured and hospitalized in the collapse of the North Tower.

“The valor of K-9 Sirius reminds us he will never be forgotten,” Johnson said.

Freeport Deputy Fire Chief Luke Vashon told the story of how the town applied for and was able to obtain steel beams from the collapse of the World Trade Center towers.

Vashon said it took three years from the time Freeport applied to a dedication ceremony once the beams were transported to the town in September 2011.

The 9-11 memorial is at the Public Safety Building in Freeport, and everyone is welcome to visit, he said.

Major General Bill Libby of Old Orchard Beach was serving as commander of the Maine National Guard on Sept. 11, 2001, when the governor at the time, now U.S. Senator Angus King, sought his guidance about how to best keep the state safe on 9-11.

“Gov. King took swift action and closed the capitol,” General Libby told the audience at the 9-11 tribute event. “He activated the state’s Emergency Operations Center.”

He shared a story about the Maine Air Guard, who happened to be flying a mission that day over the New Jersey coast. After the attacks, the crew was ordered to help refuel military aircraft over New York City. 

“Our lives have changed significantly in reaction to the events of that day,” the general said. “During the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, we lost 56 Mainers.”

He said that with each passing year following the terrorist attacks on 9-11, he has come to realize that the aftermath was equally as important as the attacks themselves when Americans unified as one to overcome the tragedies and rebuild their lives.

“I commemorate 9-11 every year but celebrate 9-12,” General Libby said. “We need to find the spirit of 9-12 again in this country.”

Windham Police Chief Kevin Schofield and Windham Fire-Rescue Chief Brent Libby placed a wreath in the Windham Veterans Center garden for the observance.

Members of Legion Post 148’s Honor Guard fired a 21-gun salute, and it was followed by the playing of “Taps” by Post 148 bugler Randy Kitano and a benediction by Chaplain Cheryl Guddy of the Department of Maine American Legion. <

    

From rookie to role model: WHS mock CSI unit creates a full circle return to the scene

By Lorraine Glowczak

“When will I ever use this after high school?” It’s a question that teachers have heard echo through classrooms for decades. From math equations to lab reports to literary analysis, students often wonder how today’s lessons will matter in their future. But what happens when learning moves beyond the classroom and into the real world – where students are exposed to the ways math, science, and English are not only useful, but needed to succeed?

Corporal Hailey Penney, a 2022 Windham High graduate now
serving in the Maine Correctional Center's Special
Investigations and Intelligence Unit, returned to WHS as 
an expert in the annual Mock CSI event, a career-connected
curriculum she participated in as a student four years ago. 
She helped student 'rookie' detectives refine their\
questioning skills and share how others can follow a 
similar career path. SUBMITTED PHOTO  

To help students see the real-world value of their learning, Windham High School teachers John Ziegler (math) and Adrianne Shetenhelm (alternative education English) launched a hands-on interdisciplinary unit in 2016. The collaboration brought their classes together for a mock CSI experience that challenged students to apply math, writing and critical-thinking skills to a simulated crime scene.

“As the project proved its impact over the next few years, the partnership grew to include Lauren Ruffner’s science, along with real-world support from the Windham Police Department and the Windham Fire Department, transforming the unit into a fully immersive learning experience,” Shetenhelm said.

This collaborative interdisciplinary unit continued again this year on Thursday, April 30 with the “crime” occurring in the parking lot at the Windham Veterans Center. But what made this year’s unit so special was a meaningful turning point when one of Shetenhelm’s former students, Hailey Penney, a 2022 WHS graduate, joined in on the collaboration.

“A full-circle moment for me this year was having Hailey back on the scene, four years after she was in the unit as a student; she came back as an expert,” Shetenhelm said.

Penney, now Corporal Penney, works for the Maine Correctional Center in the Special Investigations and Intelligence Unit. She was invited to join mock CSI day to help the “rookie" detectives and evidence techs in refining their questioning techniques. She talked about her career pathway and how other students may follow a similar path if they are interested.

“After contacting the Maine Correctional Center to see if we could have someone speak to our students, it was clear that Hailey would be the perfect choice,” Shetenhelm said. “Hailey's superiors spoke so highly of her capabilities and her speedy progression in the field. I was not surprised, and I am so proud of her.”

Corporal Penney said that she doesn’t remember being interested in law enforcement before the mock CSI event. “I believe this is because of my prior lack of knowledge as to what law enforcement officers do. Being introduced to WPD Detective Andrews and Sergeant Fournier and learning about what they do in their careers significantly changed my perception. I was inspired to make a difference.”

She added that being a part of a “real-life crime scene”, gathering information and interviewing witnesses and suspects sparked an interest in her that she didn’t know she had. “Before this, I remember feeling as if I had not found my passion yet. I am very grateful that I was involved with this event because I’m not sure if I would have considered a career in corrections or law enforcement otherwise.”

Being an expert now, Corporal Penney said that she enjoyed talking with the students about her story and how her career became a passion.

“There were so many students who were engaged in this event and open to speaking with me. I gave two students Maine Department of Corrections challenge coins because I was very impressed with their thought processes and efforts that went into this year’s mock CSI unit,” she said. “My hope is that students were able to take something away from our conversations and have a better understanding of law enforcement, like I did when I experienced the CSI event.”

It’s Shetenhelm and Ziegler’s hope for their students too. As a result, they plan to continue this annual career connected learning as long as they can. To do so, they will begin to write a new “crime” this summer.

“Each year, we write a new narrative over the summer and recruit staff volunteers and actors in the fall,” Shetenhelm said. “We begin working with the WPD and other experts to ensure the story is realistic. By the fourth quarter, the unit begins—preparing English students to investigate and interview witnesses while math and science students learn to analyze evidence. On the day of the field trip, one question remains: Have we prepared them enough to connect the dots on their own, just as they must after graduation?”

Shetenhelm says that they hope to team teach with Corporal Penney again next year.

“I couldn't be prouder and more honored to be a part of her story and to be working alongside her,” Shetenhelm said. 

Wishing well dedication event reminds Manchester students of 9/11 sacrifices for freedom

By Ed Pierce

In the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, Manchester School fourth-grade teacher Donna Morton wanted to help her students honor the sacrifices made by Americans on that fateful day while helping them grasp what had happened and inspiring them to help make the world better for everyone.

Retired Manchester School teacher Donna Morton, left,
gathers with her former students and their parents in 
Windham to dedicate a wishing well that they created   
in the days following the terrorist attacks on America
on Sept, 11, 2001. Now adults, Morton's former students
and their parents restored the wishing well and thanked
Windham police and firefighters attending a school
ceremony on the anniversary of 9/11 for keeping
the community safe. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

Morton had an idea and enlisted her students and several parents to create a wishing well for the school where children could hope for a peaceful future through kindness and love for one another. Built in just one afternoon, Morton’s students got to hammer, sand, and paint the wishing well, and it received a prominent place in the school’s front garden.

For more than two decades, on the anniversary of 9/11, Manchester students would form a circle around the wishing well, recite the Pledge of Allegiance, sing the “Star Spangled Banner,” and place wishes into the well for the future. But last year during the reconfiguration of the parking lot and traffic pattern at the school, the front garden was removed, and the wishing well was found to be deteriorating and unsafe.

Now retired from teaching, Morton was informed by a parent of one of her former students about the wishing well’s condition and they decided to restore it and dedicate it at Manchester School for students this year on the anniversary of 9/11. She contacted some of her students from her 2001-2002 class and a few of their parents still in the area to help. They gathered at Morton’s home and set about to reconstruct the well.

Scott Gartsu was 9 on Sept. 11, 2001, and a student in Morton’s fourth grade class. He wasn’t at school that day as he was at home with a broken foot but recalls sitting on the living room floor of his home in Windham and crying watching the events unfold on television. He was part of the students who helped to build the original wishing well for his classmates.

“It was a group effort,” he said. “My dad Todd was a carpenter, and I loved working with his tools. I remember building it and all the kids coming together. The fact that the wishing well has been around this long is pretty cool.”

Steve McFarland of Harrison was living in Windham on 9/11 and his son, Sam, was in Morton’s class that year. They both attended the dedication event and not only helped to build the original well but also worked on the new one.

“It’s neat to see all the kids out there involved,” McFarland said. “It’s nice that Donna Morton is keeping this tradition and reviving it. It’s a testament to her and her connection to her students.”

Speaking to current Manchester students, former students and a contingent of Windham police, firefighters and emergency medical technicians attending the dedication event for the well on Thursday, Sept. 11, Morton said 9/11 remains a special day for her.

“It’s a reminder of the hard work of police and firemen who keep us safe every day,” she said. “We want this wishing well to stand as a symbol of hope.”

She introduced Sara Conant, who was in Morton’s fourth-grade class on Sept. 11, 2001, and helped to build the original well.

“Wishing wells throughout time have been a symbol of hope, gratitude and a bit of magic,” Conant said. This well is no exception. On this day 24 years ago I was sitting in Mrs. Morton's fourth grade class when American history was forever altered by attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Anyone alive at the time knows where they were on that day and I was fortunate to be safely here.”

She said that as a way to honor the first responders, victims, and their families and offer the school community hope, her class made the wishing well to stand forever as a symbol of hope.

“In one afternoon, we all pitched in with some of our parents, my dad included, to create this,” Conant said. “But time isn't always kind and the well needed some love, so Mrs. Morton rescued it and tried contacting everyone in the class to help restore the well to the lasting symbol of hope, gratitude and magic it always was.”

She said Morton’s deep care for each of her students is what brought her to save the well and inspired her to help.

“The magic of the well gave me a happy visit back to fourth grade that I am so thankful for,” Conant said. “We hope you join us in making a wish in this special well brought back to its former glory through love and kindness.”

Windham Police Captain Jason Burke told students that on 9/11 that firefighters, police officers and everyday people worked together to save lives and clean up the damage.

“This is a good reminder that violence is never the answer to a disagreement, a different opinion or a dislike for someone,” Burke said. “Choosing to work together and talk through our problems is always the right choice. As you go through school, you’ll be learning how to be a good citizen and a problem solver. You’ll learn how to work with others even when you don’t agree.”

He said thinking about the events of Sept. 11 reminds us that the way we treat each other everyday matters.

“By being kind, understanding, and respectful to everyone, you can make the world a better place,” Burke said. <

Family rescues distressed moose in lake

By Ed Pierce

Monday evening June 30 was supposed to be nothing more than a relaxing sunset cruise around Sebago Lake, but it turned out to be a life-saving trip for a family visiting the Lakes Region from Massachusetts.

The Chasse Family, visiting from
Massachusetts for the holiday, were boating
on Sebago Lake on Monday night when
they encountered a large moose in distress
struggling to swim and trying to keep its head
above water. Along with a passing couple in
a motorboat, they teamed up and were able to
gently guide the moose back to the shoreline
and to safety. SUBMITTED PHOTO    

For years, the Chasse Family of Salem, Mass. has been spending the 4th of July holiday at Point Sebago Resort in Casco and enjoyed a leisurely day and dinner before opting to watch the sunset out on the lake.

With six family members aboard their pontoon boat, they set out from shore but got about halfway out on Sebago Lake before spotting something unusual.

“My younger sister saw what she thought at first was a buoy in middle of the lake, but when we got closer, we noticed that it was a huge moose fighting to keep its head above the water,” said Samantha Chasse, 19. “The moose’s ears were back, and it was having a difficult time swimming in the lake. Our family just didn’t know what to do, so we started calling the police and the warden service to see if they could help us.”

She said none of the agencies that the family called were able to respond and the moose continued to struggle in the water.

Thinking that the moose could drown being so far offshore, they chose to maneuver their boat directly behind the moose at a distance to see if they could gently guide the large creature back toward land.

“We took it upon ourselves to try and help an animal that was trying to survive. We had been doing that for a while when we noticed a couple in a passing motorboat and we flagged them down,” Chasse said. “They agreed to help us, and they got on one side of the moose, and we got on the other side and started slowly steering it back to the shoreline.”

According to Chasse, the coordinated efforts of both boats and through sheer determination, they were able to slowly guide the exhausted animal back to land and safety after about 30 minutes.

Moose are the largest members of the deer family, with adult males standing 6 feet tall at the shoulder and weighing between 1,200 and 1,600 pounds. Female moose typically weigh between 800 and 1,300 pounds.

As they got closer to what is known locally as “Cub Cove” between Casco and Raymond, the moose appeared to realize it was near the shoreline and appeared to become stronger, climbing out onto the beach, before it exhibited an unusual gesture.

“Once it reached the shore, it stopped and turned its head toward us as if to say thanks,” Chasse said. “Then it turned around and ran into the woods. We could see it was a huge animal as it ran off and we were all cheering that it was safe.”

For Chasse, it was the first moose she has ever seen in Maine.

“We’ve been coming to Maine for years and we have all grown up around Sebago Lake. We have seen plenty of deer and bears, but have never seen a moose,” she said. “It truly was an awesome experience.”

She said saving the moose is something all members of her family can be grateful for.

“I’m an animal lover and have been for my entire life,” she said. “To be involved in something like this in helping an animal in trouble is just incredible and I’m grateful to have been a part of it.”

Chasse says that their swift actions not only saved the moose’s life but also remind them of the power of unity being a good citizen.

“This remarkable moment is a testament to what can happen when people set aside differences and act out of kindness,” she said. “We hope this story inspires others to look out for both wildlife and one another.” <

‘Slow Down Move Over’ violators put first responders’ lives at risk

Drivers in Windham and throughout Maine are ignoring the
'Slow Down Move Over' law first enacted in 2007. It mandates
that motorists slow down or pull over if they encounter a 
stopped or parked emergency vehicle and violators are 
posing significant risk to first responders.
COURTESY OF  ROAD ASSIST EMERGENCY SERVICES
  

By Ed Pierce

Every day, drivers in Windham and throughout Maine ignore the “Slow Down, Move Over” law posing a significant risk for first responders and other emergency personnel.

Enacted in 2007, the law mandates that drivers slow down and or pull over if they encounter a stopped or parked emergency vehicle. If drivers see flashing lights and fail to respond appropriately, they can be issued a summons and fined $326 for not doing so under the law.   

Under Title 29-A §2054-9 MRSA, drivers passing a parked emergency vehicle with its emergency lights activated must pass in a lane that is not adjacent to the vehicle or, if doing so is unsafe or impossible, must pass at a careful and prudent speed. In this context, “emergency vehicle” includes, but is not limited to, police cruisers, ambulances, fire trucks, tow trucks, wreckers, and highway safety vehicles. 

“This law helps to ensure our safety. When working at an emergency scene, we often have to move around our apparatus to get the equipment needed,” said Brent Libby, Windham Fire-Rescue chief. “We also are moving around the scene to treat patients, remove debris, contain spills etc.  which can be spread out larger than it may seem. The move over law ensures that we have a safe space to operate in.”

Libby said many first responders witness drivers who disregard this law and violations happen on a daily basis.

“Whether it is a medical call, a motor vehicle crash, or a grass fire, motorists are often trying to squeeze around our apparatus, which often creates a blind spot for them,” he said. “The law applies to all emergency vehicles on all roads and requires the drivers to use the other lane to get around.” 

According to Libby, unfortunately there just aren’t resources available to enforce the law.

“Often law enforcement is involved in and committed to the incident we are on. In extreme scenarios someone can get the license plate and report it but otherwise we simply have to remain vigilant,” he said. “I will say there are many instances where we will simply close a road down completely for our safety and the safety of those involved knowing that due to traffic volume and inattention, moving traffic through a scene would just be too dangerous.”

Kyle Snyder, Road Assist Emergency Services operations manager, said that every single day, he or one of his technicians are on the side of the road helping a stranded motorist and most motorists do not understand that by slowing down, and moving over, this provides them with the protection to do their jobs safely.

“This law is in place for police, fire, EMS, and yes, even tow providers. At the end of the day, we want to go home to our families, and we cannot do that if we are injured or killed by someone not paying attention and not following the law,” Snyder said.

Snyder said that out of the 131 calls that he completed in April, he counted 60 times that a driver failed to slow down or move over for him.

“That is 46 percent of calls that I have personally completed. We have forward and rear facing cameras in our trucks that record our work areas. As the operations manager I am constantly reviewing footage and making sure my drivers are following our safety protocols,” he said. “I have watched quite a few videos that would make any normal person who does not do this job shake their head in disbelief. Now imagine your job is to be on the side of the road every day, and in the back of your mind, you are wondering if it is your last.”

Snyder said he feels 95 percent of drivers violating the law is because of distracted driving.

"Drivers are not keeping their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. If they are distracted by the phone, or using their touch screen/GPS, it takes 27 seconds for you to refocus on the road after stopping that distracting activity,” he said. “During that 27 seconds, you are already in our work zone. I also think that 5 percent stems from some people not understanding that the law pertains to yellow flashing lights as much as blue and red. However, this law is not new, it was passed in 2007, some 14 years ago and all 50 states have some version of this law.”

About 10:30 p.m. April 24, in dry and clear road conditions, Snyder was assisting the Maine State Police, Rays Towing, and Maine DOT at a crash on I-95 North Bound in Scarborough.

“There were two Maine State Police cars, a DOT truck, and two tow trucks on scene blocking the left and middle lanes. Numerous people were not paying attention and were moving over at the very last minute,” Snyder said. “I had three cones and three flares behind my vehicle, the DOT truck was to my left, and the MSP was in front conducting their investigation. My cones got hit a few times, and numerous tractor trailer trucks went by us at a high rate of speed.”

As police conducted a crash investigation, EMS workers treated injuries, DOT checked barriers for structural damage, and tow companies cleaned up the crash scen. Snyder said the story could have ended very differently for him.

“I was standing on the driver side of my emergency vehicle when a vehicle came right at me, taking out two cones and three 3 flares before finally stopping between my unit and the DOT unit,” he said. “This driver was cited for DUI and arrested. If I would have hesitated for even a second, I would not be here today to tell this story. That is the kind of stuff emergency responders deal with every single day, and so we ask the public to do their part.”

Snyder said he thinks the law needs to be strengthened and enforced better.

“Lives are at risk here when someone does not follow this law. People think that they can get away with it because they are never caught,” he said. “Whenever you are on the road, you have other people’s lives in your hands. In a work zone, we don’t have a cage protecting us, so one mistake can cost a life. We have seen a couple of instances in the last few years. A DOT worker was killed in 2018 while moving traffic cones in a construction zone. Detective Ben Campbell of the Maine State Police was killed honorably in the line of duty from a tire that separated from a truck. Things happen that we can’t predict, but drivers moving over or slowing down is something that we all can do to save a life.”

Chief Libby said many times working in the roadway is as dangerous for firefighters and EMTs as it is working on a fire.

“We do our very best to clean up an incident as quickly as possible to get out of the road. We ask that people are patient, be aware of what’s going on at the scene as there is always a lot of movement,” Libby said. “Look for someone doing traffic control providing you with instructions. I can’t tell you how many people we see driving through a crash scene with their phone out getting pictures and video. It is imperative that people approach and pass by a scene very slowly with a defensive posture ready to stop on a moment’s notice. Put down your devices and slow down.”

Libby said that as a first responder firefighter, one of their most dangerous and frustrating jobs is directing traffic.

“People in this role are our first line of defense for those working on the scene and people just do not pay attention,” he said. “We also challenge people to know more than one way to get where they are going. People often stop to ask directions when we are blocking a road. This further complicates safely moving traffic.” <