First responders step up in the most perilous of times to protect the health and safety of both loved ones and strangers alike. Coming from various backgrounds, genders, and ethnicities, they all share a common goal of serving their communities and they continuously risk their lives to prevent heartbreaking situations; they are all heroes. To honor their sacrifice and the community’s gratitude, the Mount Pleasant Recreation Department commissioned a new First Responders Monument to reside at the picturesque Waterfront Park.

The First Responders Monument was actualized in the form of a beautiful bronze bell encased by a steel structure that resembles the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge’s tower supports – an iconic symbol in Mount Pleasant. It resides in a circular space containing three entry points to represent each essential department- fire, police and public service. The 1,000-pound bell at the center of the monument represents signals of distress that alert citizens when emergencies arise. The peaceful location offers ample room for visitors to view, honor and reflect on the sacrifices first responders make each day.

The Mount Pleasant Recreation Department selected internationally recognized Christoph Paccard Bell Foundry to bring this project to life. The bronze bell itself was designed with a removable hammer, reserving the ringing rights for special occasions. The support structure was made from duplex coated steel that sits upon a black granite base. Company President Stan Christoph shared that the steel structure was originally specified for painting; however, he was concerned about the corrosive environment near the salty water. Based on his years of experience, he knew that just one nick in the painted coating would result in rust. After consulting with the project team, he sent the structure out for galvanizing prior to painting.

Whenever Mr. Christoph works on a project that will be located in a corrosive environment, he always recommends hot-dip galvanizing due to its long lasting protection and full coverage inside and out. “The protection galvanizing provides is always an easy sell to my customers but for this project, we included the galvanizing free of charge” Mr. Christoph stated. Such a meaningful monument needs to stand strong for future generations to appreciate as well.

The community and first responders of Mount Pleasant came together on December 1^st for the monument’s dedication ceremony. The Chief of Police, Fire Chief, Public Services Director, and each council member ceremoniously rang the bell that is inscribe with the statement, “there is no greater calling than to serve others.” Just like our first responders, this monument is prepared to weather any storm in honor of these heroes throughout the nation.