A groundbreaking was held in Keansburg Sunday as officials began the first steps toward creating a special 9/11 memorial.

The groundbreaking, which was held next to an existing 9/11 memorial, will be dedicated specifically to the emergency medical services that responded on Sept. 11.

The New Jersey State First Aid Council, which is building the memorial, says about 400 ambulances responded from the Garden State on Sept. 11.

It will be the first monument of its kind in the country that is dedicated specifically to EMS.

The center of the memorial will be a piece of steel from the World Trade Center which fell during the terror attack 16 years ago. It weighs about 340 pounds and is 5 feet long. 

Officials hope to have the monument in place by Sept. 11, 2018. The new monument will sit right next to Keansburg's existing 9/11 memorial, and the town will help care for and maintain both sites.

Monday marks 16 years since the Sept. 11 terror attacks on the Twin Towers.