MADISON, Wis. (SPECTRUM NEWS) — On the 18th anniversary of 9/11 people around Wisconsin gathered to remember and honor the nearly 3,000 Americans who died in the attack on the World Trade Center in New York City.

In Milwaukee at Veterans Park, city leaders, military members, veterans, and first responders gathered to honor the victims and heroes of 9/11.

“It’s important for us to say thank you to them, pay tribute to them, but it’s also important for us to recognize that a lot of the challenges that lead to 911 are still with us today,” said Tom Barrett, Milwaukee's Mayor.

Then at firehouses around Milwaukee, firefighters saluted the victims from the attack.

"I know guys on FDNY and they're very good friends and they know that we do this in memory of their brothers and sisters every year,” Brent Jones, a lieutenant with the U.S. Marine Corps in Milwaukee.

The firefighters then gathered at the Harley Davidson museum in Milwaukee to list the names of the first responders who died trying to save people in 2001.

In Madison students training to become firefighters or paramedics gathered at Madison Technical College to honor first responders.

“As we've been talking about in class we need to be willing to risk a lot to save a lot and I think that's exactly what those firefighters were doing during 9/11,” said Andrew Stadler, who is studying to become a firefighter.

University of Wisconsin Police Chief Kristen Roman spoke to the students. She wanted to put the 9/11 first responders' sacrifice into perspective.

“Today what I want to talk about is about sacrifice and really how sacrifice is the ultimate gesture of love,” Roman said.

In Green Bay, police and firefighters gathered at Austin Straubel Airport to pay respects for those lost in that attack. 

Posts from businesses and agencies around Wisconsin on social media honored victims of 9/11. While flags flew at half-staff around the state. Several college campuses had mini flags planted in green lawns as a showing of remembrance of the day.