For a growing share of today’s firefighters, Sept. 11, 2001, is history rather than memory. They know the images, the number 343 and the words “Never Forget,” but they did not experience the confusion, grief and sense of national unity that followed the attacks.
We asked the FireRescue1 audience what they want younger generations of firefighters to understand about that day. Their responses focused on loss, service, readiness and a toll that persists 25 years later.
A loss felt across the fire service
For those who remember Sept. 11, the solemness of the events was not confined to New York City, the Pentagon or Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Firefighters described a collective loss felt throughout the profession and around the world.
- “The sadness every firefighter in the world felt for the FDNY on that day.”
- “The sense of loss, the world unity and the word ‘sacrifice.’”
- “The sense of survivor guilt and the deep sadness and wish that one could help from afar.”
One response captured how close that grief remains, even after a quarter-century:
- “We’re still not over it.”
Service requires sacrifice
Several firefighters said the response demonstrated the obligation members accept when they join the profession: to act when others need help, even when doing so carries significant risk.
- “Sometimes you have to put the job and your brothers first.”
Another firefighter defined that responsibility as service guided by judgment, not recklessness:
- “‘Service before self’ — that’s what I would want to pass along. It doesn’t mean blindly walking into danger. It means understanding the risks, accepting the responsibility and having the courage to act when others need you.”
The firefighters who entered the World Trade Center were not fundamentally different from those serving in departments today, another respondent noted. Circumstance placed them at an incident that demanded everything from them.
- “I always tell them the only difference between those guys and us is that they were there. What happened to them could happen to anyone on the job. So be ready to sacrifice everything.”
Nothing is routine
Sept. 11 also reinforced a basic operational lesson: A call can change without warning and firefighters must be prepared for conditions far beyond what was initially reported.
- “Nothing is routine in firefighting.”
One respondent pointed to the responsibility carried at every rank, from firefighters advancing into danger to chief officers making decisions with incomplete information and potentially devastating consequences.
- “Even during the worst tragedy, you have to continue to push on and get the job done. The firefighters who climbed the stairs more than likely knew they were not going to make it out but still risked their lives in the hope of saving others. The chief officers were making decisions knowing their firefighters might not go home that day, and they have to bear the weight of those decisions. Never question a chief officer’s decision on scene. They have the experience to make those decisions.”
The death toll did not end on Sept. 11
The number 343 represents the FDNY members killed in the attacks, but firefighters stressed that it does not reflect the full toll of the response and recovery work.
- “Ground Zero is still killing.”
- “343 is the number everybody throws around. That’s the number lost on 9/11, but it’s half the story.”
The FDNY reported in September 2025 that more than 400 members had died from World Trade Center-related illnesses. The department continues to recognize members who became ill after participating in the rescue and recovery operations.
Remembering Sept. 11, respondents said, requires recognizing those continuing losses and supporting the responders and families living with the consequences.
Remembrance is more than a slogan
One firefighter cautioned against allowing the anniversary to become centered on commemorative merchandise. If products are sold in connection with Sept. 11, the respondent said, the proceeds should directly help those still affected by their service at the attack sites.
The larger responsibility is to keep the focus on the people and their actions:
- “It must always and forever be about our undying respect for them and about remembering the selfless sacrifices, the courage, the dedication to duty and professionalism displayed by all those who responded.”
Firefighters born after Sept. 11 cannot remember the day firsthand. They can, however, understand its consequences, learn its operational lessons and ensure the experiences of those who responded are not reduced to a number, slogan or annual ceremony.
FireRescue1 is using generative AI to create some content that is edited and fact-checked by our editors.
