On September 11, 2001, terrorists used hijacked airplanes as weapons to attack the United States. Two planes hit the World Trade Center towers in New York City. One plane flew into the side of the Pentagon. A fourth plane crashed in a Pennsylvania field after passengers stormed the cockpit. Nearly 3,000 people died in the attack.
Thousands of first responders answered the call that day to search for survivors amid the rubble, smoke and debris, with 343 firefighters ultimately perishing in the collapse of the Twin Towers and countless more succumbing to 9/11-related illnesses from working at Ground Zero.
Use this resource page to learn about developments in healthcare protections for 9/11 first responders, read the experiences of those who were there and reflect on those who left a legacy behind.
To share your 9/11 story, please email editor@firerescue1.com.
From the FireRescue1 Team
Firsthand perspectives show how 9/11 continues to shape the fire service — and why these stories still matter
FDNY Chief of Department John Esposito recounts FDNY’s devastating losses, the decisions that saved thousands of lives and why honoring 9/11 means preparing the next generation to meet the moment
Fire service veterans reflect on the losses, lessons and how the profession changed after the 2001 attacks
Ohio Task Force 1 responders reflect on the attack that reshaped technical rescue and national preparedness
They searched for survivors, handled remains, supplied emergency equipment and kept the city’s jails operating. Twenty-five years later, their story is still being told.
Narrated by Gary Sinise, the film features firsthand accounts from officers, firefighters and EMS providers who responded on one of the nation’s darkest days
A six-part documentary series captures command operations, search efforts and the people behind the response
How one day transformed emergency preparedness and the lives of generations of first responders
Deputy Chief Oren Bersagel-Briese explains how an informal Denver stair climb became a nationwide tradition
9/11 News
FDNY honored the 343 members killed on 9/11 and 453 more who have since died from World Trade Center-related cancers and respiratory illnesses
The 9/11 Memorial & Museum is adding a permanent seventh moment of silence to honor first responders, recovery workers and survivors who died from 9/11-related illnesses
Dr. John Howard receives another six-year term overseeing NIOSH and a health program serving more than 140,000 9/11 responders and survivors
Sal Argano is the last firefighter still serving at Ten House who was assigned there on 9/11, carrying its history forward for younger firefighters and visitors
Nebraska Task Force 1 members deployed to the Pentagon and Ground Zero after 9/11, confronting collapsed buildings, toxic smoke and an unprecedented search-and-rescue mission
The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s #ForThe343 campaign has logged more than 550,000 flights of stairs to honor the 343 FDNY firefighters killed on 9/11
Additional insights and news updates
After decades of work in the firefighter counseling space, Leto shares what he’s learned about resilience, relationships and the healing power of doing good
Chief Freddie LaFemina recalls the unimaginable scene at Ground Zero and the relentless work to find his brother firefighters
Shanksville Chief Terry Shaffer reflects on how his family is inextricably linked to the tragedy – and how they continue to honor the victims and the community
President Donald Trump joined first responders and families at a Tunnel to Towers ceremony featuring a World Trade Center steel beam and tributes to fallen FDNY members
New York City opened a public portal containing 170,000 pages of 9/11 records sought for years by first responders, survivors and families concerned about Ground Zero health risks
As deaths from 9/11-related illnesses surpass 6,000, advocates are pressing New York City to release decades-old records detailing air quality and toxic exposures at Ground Zero
More than 300 firefighters, police officers, EMS personnel and military members are expected to climb 1,455 steps at The Strat to mark the 25th remembrance of the Sept. 11 attacks
Communities across Broward and Palm Beach counties will hold memorial ceremonies, 110-story stair climbs and other remembrance events
Plans to restore FDNY Ladder 9 for the 25th anniversary of 9/11 are on hold as organizers seek funding for repairs estimated to cost more than $1 million
Research on World Trade Center responders found PTSD and prolonged Ground Zero exposure were associated with signs of accelerated brain aging
The campaign, “The Sacrifice Didn’t End on 9/11,” runs through Sept. 30 and coincides with the 25-year remembrance of the 9/11 terrorist attacks
Shanksville firefighters who responded to the Flight 93 crash on 9/11 have spent the past 25 years opening their firehouse to the victims’ families and preserving a bond forged in tragedy
Maurizio Crescenzo remembers the firefighters who welcomed him and the community that rallied around them after 9/11
From 9/11 to major disasters across the country, Frank Leto shares what the fire service has learned about peer support, recovery and protecting firefighters for the long haul
The FDNY added 36 names to its World Trade Center Memorial Wall, bringing to 438 the number of fire and EMS members honored after dying from illnesses linked to Ground Zero
Twenty-five years later, empathy and teamwork say more than any ceremony
FDNY researchers are seeking federal coverage for cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline and other conditions as firefighters and EMS members exposed to Ground Zero toxins age
Six Ladder 6 firefighters survived the World Trade Center collapse while helping Josephine Harris down Stairwell B, and her family has returned a special FDNY jacket to preserve their shared story
Lillian Bonsignore spent weeks working the pile; 25 years later, the area still triggers her brain to recall the smell “like it’s day one”
The familiar images tell only part of the story. These lesser-known accounts reveal how Sept. 11 continues to shape lives and public safety 25 years later.
Firefighter Rob Weisberg confronts the aftermath of 9/11, grappling with PTSD and the event’s ripple effects on his life and relationships
Vice President JD Vance is expected to attend the Ground Zero ceremony
The son of FDNY firefighter Scott Davidson is urging Americans to honor those lost on 9/11 by helping the 9/11 Day nonprofit reach 1 million pledged good deeds by Sept. 11
A military judge scheduled Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and three alleged accomplices to stand trial beginning June 5, 2028, more than 26 years after the Sept. 11 attacks
The Sept. 3 event will bring together clinicians, researchers, first responders and advocates to examine 25 years of 9/11-related healthcare and research
Former FDNY Commissioner Sal Cassano recounts the sweeping changes in training, command, communications and accountability that followed 9/11
The lasting lessons of 9/11 call for resilient departments, adaptable leaders and the ability to maintain operations when critical systems fail
Americans are invited to honor fallen firefighters by climbing, sharing a tribute and challenging others
“Living On: The Michael Cammarata Story” traces the life of the youngest FDNY firefighter killed on Sept. 11, from the Little League World Series to the fire service
As firsthand witnesses grow fewer, the retired Shanksville fire chief considers what “Never Forget” means for those with no personal memory of 9/11
As the newly installed IAFC president, I suddenly faced a new fire service focus on terrorism and preparedness
How the NFFF sprang into action to serve New York City firefighters – and ultimately grew its mission
