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
Marking anniversaries, like 9/11, is important for honoring those experiences and carrying forward the lessons learned
Honor the sacrifices and the legacy left by 9/11 responders by marking the anniversary with community service, education and self-care
Guidance for managing the emotions associated with the anniversaries of traumatic incidents
Books about the catastrophic 9/11 attacks and the long return to normalcy are crucial to the historical record of those we lost and how we moved forward
Official statistics show that 343 firefighters lost their lives on that day, but there were really 344
From coast to coast, these September 11 memorials stand as solemn reminders of the courage, sacrifice and enduring spirit that emerged in the wake of tragedy
9/11 News
The 2,400-mile tour will carry a seven-foot tribute to first responders from New York to cities across the country ahead of America250 and the 9/11 25-year remembrance
The new World Trade Center Retired Responders Memorial Wall honors 154 retired FDNY members who assisted in rescue and recovery efforts after Sept. 11 and later died from WTC-related illnesses
City leaders are pushing for funding to determine when officials first knew Ground Zero air quality was dangerous and to release records tied to post-9/11 exposure risks
Organizers said that in recognition of the 25th memorial, they are aiming to make the 2026 event the largest and most attended in its history
A World Trade Center steel beam will travel more than 10,500 miles before returning to Ground Zero for the 25th remembrance of 9/11
The Secretary of Health and Human Services restores hiring for the World Trade Center Health Program, easing shortages that have delayed care and claims for thousands of responders and survivors
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
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
Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal is urging state officials to search for long-sought documents, as survivors and first responders continue to seek answers about what government agencies knew
Attorneys for survivors say the city is withholding critical Ground Zero exposure data despite previously uncovering dozens of boxes of related documents
Advocates and lawmakers warn staffing shortages at the World Trade Center Health Program are causing treatment delays for sick 9/11 responders and survivors
Lifetime funding secured for the WTC Health Program, but layoffs and a hiring freeze are delaying care
The Brooklyn native graduates with 180 other probationary firefighters after years of service as an FDNY EMT
City Council Speaker Julie Menin called for the city to make “every single file” public after an internal memo showed officials feared toxic exposure weeks after 9/11
A battered FDNY Tower Ladder 9 was restored ahead of the 25th anniversary to honor the firefighters who never returned
The FDNY is planning a special ceremony alongside a new commemorative emblem, a Gary Sinise–hosted podcast series and a film on FDNY Chaplain Father Mychal Judge
Retired FDNY Deputy Chief James Riches is remembered as a tireless advocate for survivors and one of the voices of the 9/11 community
The union representing New York City firefighters is calling for a full investigation after officials uncovered documents on Ground Zero health hazards that the city had long claimed did not exist
The NFFF and FDNY will add the firefighters’ names to the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial, with Gov. Kathy Hochul, Mayor Eric Adams and FDNY leaders attending
Among 344 graduates, Ian Montesi, whose father died in the North Tower collapse, and Francis Donohue, whose father died of a 9/11-related illness, are following their fathers’ path
Only 14 states require 9/11 instruction, and Massachusetts hasn’t until Gov. Maura Healey directed the state to embed September 11 into curriculum framework
Ceremonies at Ground Zero, the Pentagon and Shanksville honor nearly 3,000 victims as volunteers nationwide mark the 24th 9/11 anniversary with day-of-service projects
NYC’s pause on $850K Stabilization Fund payments has unions covering medical benefits for widows and children of 9/11 first responders
South Lockport Fire Company flags 9/11-linked cancer risks, providing coverage and stressing screening and decontamination to curb PFAS and smoke exposure
Ahead of the attacks’ 24th anniversary, the department engraved 39 newly fallen members, bringing post-9/11 illness losses to more than 400
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
Seeing the brave first responders on Sept. 11, 2001, showed me what I wanted to be when I grew up
The White House confirms early talks on turning the 9/11 Memorial & Museum into a federally run national monument, drawing pushback from state leaders and the site’s nonprofit operator
FDNY Ceremonial Unit leader Lt. Joseph LaPointe, who has guided hundreds of funerals and every Ground Zero anniversary since 2001, is stepping down after 35 years of service
More than 500 people scaled 2,200 steps at Truist Park’s Patriot Day Stair Climb, to honor fallen firefighters and raise money for Georgia firefighters and their families
When Kristin Marino wed at the Plaza Hotel, FDNY firefighters from her late father’s Rescue Company 1 stood in his place
Elizabeth Hillman reportedly told the foundation’s trustees, “Our executive compensation lags well behind that of peer institutions”
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