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.
For all the men and women who were killed during the 9/11 attacks, there were countless lives saved by the bravery of others
Participants climb or walk the equivalent of 110 stories to honor the 343 FDNY firefighters killed on September 11, 2001
343 FDNY firefighters, plus one New York fire patrolman, were killed in the terrorist attacks, along with dozens of other public safety personnel
A significant portion of first responders had new onset cognitive impairment years after their first initial cognitive test
For people who donate $25 or more, Charity Share Times Square will place a photo of the donor with a sign reading “I Haven’t Forgotten” on the iconic Times Square billboard
President Gerard Fitzgerald and other union officials held a press conference to help make sure the city lives up to its promise to “Never Forget”
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed the legislation, which is meant to ensure future generations understand the 9/11 terrorist attacks and their place in history
Executive Director Ron Siarnicki reflects on the NFFF’s role to support the FDNY, and how tragedy ultimately expanded the Foundation’s mission
Some of our newest members had not yet been born when the fire service suffered its darkest day
The American flag, raised by NYC firefighters at Ground Zero shortly after the terrorist attacks on 9/11, was discovered years later in Washington state
More than 400 first responders climbed a total of 110 flights of stairs in honor those who died in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001
The study found that the risk was 44% greater among firefighters who arrived on the morning of 9/11 compared to those who arrived later
More than 200 FDNY members have died of 9/11-related illnesses since the 2001 terror attacks and cleanup efforts at Ground Zero
The pilgrimage has become an annual tradition for the current and retired FDNY members who comprised the group known as the Fire Riders
Firefighters around the world use tattoos to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice
Police received a criminal mischief report and found a vandalized 9/11 stone memorial covered with spray paint
The all-terrain response units will also be used at the 9/11 Memorial Bicycle Ride
DOJ officials said the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund will take steps to notify nearly 1,700 claimants of their unreduced payments by Sept. 11 of this year
President Trump signed into law an extension of the Sept. 11 victim fund through 2092
The 97-2 vote sends the bill to President Donald Trump, who is expected to sign it
Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer reached an agreement with Sens. Mike Lee and Rand Paul to bring up the bill with two amendments
Richard Driscoll, a Vietnam veteran, retired from Engine Co. 91 in East Harlem in 2002 after serving the department for 32 years
Firefighter Kevin Nolan, 58, is the 199th person to pass away from Ground Zero-related sickness
Sen. Rand Paul questioned the bill’s 70-year time frame and said any new spending should be offset by corresponding cuts
Officials named the event after Richard Allen Pearlman, the youngest first responder who died during the attacks
The legislation, which fully funds and permanently reauthorizes the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, was approved by a 402-12 vote
The federal government will have to spend more than an estimated $10 billion by 2029 in its efforts to compensate first responders and survivors
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has pledged he will act on the bill before Congress
One measure permits volunteer first responders to qualify for disability pensions when they retire
The names of late Det. Lou Alvarez and Firefighter Ray Pfeifer are being added to the new bill to restore the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund
Darryl Vandermark was paired with his service dog, Patriot, and he said the canine helped dim the depression, the anxiety, the anger he had felt due to his PTSD
Luis Alvarez assumed the spotlight to push Congress into action to aid first responders who developed life-threatening diseases from the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks
Detective Luis Alvarez was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2016, which he traced to the three months spent in the rubble of the World Trade Center’s twin towers after the 2001 terrorist attacks
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