ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- A monument now stands at a Rochester cemetery paying respect to first responders.
“When it comes down to it. We all need each other to keep ourselves safe and keep the community safe so this is very symbolic,” said Rochester Police Chief, Michael Ciminelli.
The Holy Sepluchre Cemetery unveiled a new monument in honor emergency responders Saturday morning.
The monument weighs about four tons and stands about 10 feet high.
The memorial also includes an additional 1,000 graves to the first responders section of the cemetery.
Those grounds are dedicated to law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMT workers and their families.
“They'll be a day that this needs to bring comfort to a mother, to a father to a son, to someone. That’s what this is for, to bring comfort to people,” said Karin Sprague.
Butterflies were also released into the sky to remember fallen first responders.