Brian O'Flaherty and 9/11

Ok, so Brian O'Flaherty is almost a cousin of ours. My mother was married to Bill Bayer who was Aunt Mary Bayer O'Flaherty's brother. Mary was married to John Vincent O'Flaherty who was Brian's uncle. Bill Bayer committed suicide and my mother remarried my father, so there's no blood relationship with the O'Flahertys and me. However, we grew up with them and we all treated each other like family, and even spent more time with them than other parts of our real family. Brian followed in his father's footsteps, into the FDNY, became Captain of Rescue 1 in Manhattan and worked the bombing in 1993. He was very familiar with the WTC. He responded to the WTC again in 2001, even though he was by then a Battalion Chief working on a special investigation of line of duty deaths from the Father's Day incident of that year. Here are some of the news stories about that day: _________________________________ http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/nyregion/20050812_WTC_GRAPHIC/9110431.PDF
On the morning of September 11, 2001, Battalion Chief Brian O’Flaherty witnessed the hijacked Flight 175 strike the South Tower of th e World Trade Center from his post in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Chief O’Flaherty responded to a command center inside the Marriott Hotel (3 WTC), a strategic location between the two towers.


When the South Tower collapsed, showering steel and other debris onto the hotel, O’Flaherty was wounded. He gave his battered helmet to Battalion Chief Edward Henry, who had lost his own helmet during the chaos. Henry left the lobby, intent on aiding those in distress, while O’Flaherty remained inside to provide assistance to the injured. Both men survived, despite injuries, a fact that Chief O’Flaherty attributes in part to the helmet that protected them both.


The 9/11 Memorial Visitor Center, located at 90 West Street near the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center Site allows visitors an opportunity to share their own 9/11 memories and learn about the Memorial and Museum through genuine artifacts and rotating exhibits. The National September 11 Memorial & Museum, located on 6-acres of the World Trade Center site, is a tribute of remembrance and honor to the 2,983 men, women and children killed in the terr attacks of September 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center site, near Shanksville, Pa., and at the Pentagon, as well as the six people killed in the World Trade Center bombing in February 1993.
________________________________


CHIEF LAKIOTES: TODAYS DATE IS JANUARY 9TH 2002. THE TIME IS APPROXIMATELY 1140 HOURS.  


MY NAME IS BATTALION CHIEF ART LAKIOTES, NEW YORK CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT SAFETY COMMAND. I'M HERE INTERVIEWING BATTALION CHIEF BRIAN O'FLAHERTY OF THE SAFETY OPERATING BATTALION REGARDING THE EVENTS THAT OCCURRED ON SEPTEMBER 11TH 2001.


Q: BRIAN, IF YOU WOULD JUST START US OFF. I GUESS WHEN YOU GOT THE NOTE, WHEN YOU SAW THE TOWERS, AND THEN AS THE EVENTS UNFOLDED FOR YOU THAT DAY.


I WAS IN QUARTERS. I HAD GONE IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM AND WAS TYPING UP AN INTERVIEW FROM THE ASTORIA BOULEVARD FIRE AND ONE OF THE GUYS FROM THE MARINE UNIT, EDDIE MAURO CAME IN THE ROOM AND SAID, "CHIEF, YOU HAVE TO SEE THE FIRE IN THE WORLD TRADE CENTER."


I SAID, "NOW?"
HE SAID, "YEAH. RIGHT NOW. YOUVE GO TO SEE IT. ITS UNBELIEVABLE."


WE LEFT THE ROOM, WALKED INTO THE KITCHEN. AS YOU WALK IN THE MARINE DIVISION KITCHEN, YOU LOOK OUT THE WINDOW OVER THE EAST RIVER AND YOU COULD SEE REAL HEAVY SMOKE PUSHING OUT OF THE NORTH TOWER, UPPER PORTION OF THE BUILDING, HEAVY SMOKE. I DIDNT SEE ANY FIRE, HEAVY SMOKE.


AT ONE POINT I GUESS, MIKE GAVE ME THE BINOCULARS. I LOOKED THROUGH. YOU COULD SEE THEM COMING OUT. YOU COULD ONLY SEE TWO SIDES OF THE BUILDING. JUST AROUND THAT TIME I HANDED THE BINOCULARS BACK AFTER SEEING A FEW PEOPLE JUMP AND HEARD THE DISPATCHER CALLING THE 1ST DIVISION AND TELLING THEM THEY HAD REPORTS THAT PEOPLE HAD JUMPED FROM THE BUILDING OR WERE JUMPING FROM THE BUILDING. BUT IT WAS A CASUAL REPORT.


I WANTED TO GET TO THE PHONE TO JUST TELL THE MANHATTAN DISPATCHER TO TELL THE DIVISION THAT. I ASKED MIKE. WE HAD SEEN I FIGURED A COUPLE DOZEN PEOPLE, TWO OR THREE DOZEN PEOPLE. WE ONIY SAW TWO SIDES OF THE BUILDING. I WANTED TO TELL THE DISPATCHER TO LET THE DIVISION KNOW THIS. IT WASNT JUST ONE OR TWO PEOPLE JUMPING. THIS WAS REAL PROBLEM. THEY COULD LAND ON YOUR HEAD AND KILL SOMEBODY COMING OUT FROM HUNDRED STORIES UP.


I JUST DIALED THE MANHATTAN DISPATCHER. THE NOISE IN THE KITCHEN AREA WAS TOO MUCH TO HEAR SO I JUST STEPPED THROUGH THE WEIGHT ROOM, CLOSED THE DOOR. I IDENTIFIED MYSELF AND STARTED TO TELL THEM ABOUT HOW MANY JUMPERS AND LET THE DIVISION KNOW. JUST THEN OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE, I COULD SEE THIS PLANE. I JUST REMEMBER THE DARK IT WAS IN THE SHADOW. IT LOOKED LOW.


I THOUGHT, "WHAT THE HECK IS THE GUY DOING?" I WATCHED IT. I WATCHED HIM TURN AND CRASH RIGHT INTO THE SOUTH TOWER. RIGHT AWAY I KNEW IT WAS TERRORISM OR TERRORISTS. I DIDNT KNOW WHAT THE FIRST ONE WAS, BUT KNEW WHAT THE SECOND ONE WAS. I HAD THE DISPATCHER ON THE PHONE, I SAID, "STOP TALKING ABOUT THE JUMPERS. WE JUST HAD A PLANE GO INTO THE SOUTH TOWER. ANOTHER PLANE." HE SAID HE SAW IT. I ASSUME ON TELEVISION.


WE BOTH HUNG UP THE PHONE. THAT WAS THE END OF THE CONVERSATION. I CAME BACK OUT FROM THE WEIGHT ROOM, INTO THE KITCHEN AND HUNG UP THE PHONE. NOW IT WAS NOISY. THESE GUYS HAD ALL SEEN IT. THE TELEVISION WAS ON. AT THAT TIME MAYBE THEY WERE STARTING TO PLAY REPLAYS. I THINK SHORTLY AFTER THEY PLAYED ONE REPLAY, EVERYBODY KNEW IT WAS TERRORISM.


JUST THEN LARRY HAD WALKED INTO THE KITCHEN. LARRY STACK, AND SAID, "WOW THESE GUYS HAVE THEIR HANDS FULL. WHAT DO YOU THINK BOYS? SHOULD WE GO GIVE THEM HAND?" WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THAT. EVERYBODY SAID, "YEAH."


WE TURNED AROUND. IT WAS BRIAN MEYERS, MIKE TELESCA, LARRY STACK AND MYSELF AND EVERYBODY DECIDED GET DRESSED. GET READY. I REMEMBER LARRY TELLING BRIAN TO GET THE CAR READY PUT TURNOUT GEAR IN IT, HAND LIGHTS, ANY RADIOS, WHATEVER WE COULD FIND. BATTALION HAD ALREADY RESPONDED. WE WERE RIGHT THERE.


MIKE WAS GOING TO WORK ON I THINK THE GORUMBA CASE. HE HAD HELD MEYERS TO WORK OVER WITH TELESCA. LARRY AND I WERE GOING TO WORK ON ASTORIA BOULEVARD.


SO WE GOT EVERYTHING TOGETHER AND WE DECIDED, WE GRABBED SOME NOTEPADS. WE GRABBED A BUNCH OF BOXES OF GLOVES. THE BLUE ONES FOR BLOOD BORNE PATHOGENS. WE GRABBED GLOVES, WENT DOWNSTAIRS.


BRIAN HAD ASKED, "WHAT CAR TO TAKE?"
I SAID, "LETS TAKE THE RED AND WHITE." WE HAD THE TWO CARS THE RED AND WHITE OR THE BLUE.
I SAID, "BECAUSE AT LEAST ITS GOT THE LIGHTS ON THE ROOF."


WE WENT DOWNSTAIRS AND BRIAN HAD ALL THE STUFF IN THE CAR. WE LEFT THE NAVY YARD AND STARTED HEADING OVER. WE ONLY HAD ONE RADIO. WE HAD ONE RADIO, MAYBE THREE HAND LIGHTS, THATS ALL THE STUFF WE COULD FIND. I REMEMBER IN THE CAR RIDE OVER LARRY KEPT SAYING, "WE ONLY HAVE THE ONE RADIO. EVERYBODY STICK TOGETHER UNTIL WE FIND COMMAND POST AND TELL THEM WHATS GOING ON."


WE CAME OUT OF THE NAVY YARD DOWN FLUSHING. WE WERENT SURE WHAT BRIDGE BUT AS WE LOOK WE COULD SEE THE MANHATTAN BRIDGE THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC ON IT. SO WE SAID WELL TAKE THE MANHATTAN BRIDGE. WE WENT OVER THE MANHATTAN. FROM THE TOP OF THE BRIDGE, YOU HAD A PRETTY GOOD VIEW OF BOTH THE BUILDINGS. HEAVY SMOKE COMING OUT THE SOUTH TOWER. YOU COULD SEE FIRE AND SMOKE. THE NORTH TOWER WAS STILL JUST SORT OF HEAVY SMOKE.


WE CUT DOWN BY POLICE PLAZA BY CITY HALL AND AROUND THE END OF CITY HALL PARK WE WENT WEST AND GOT TO CHURCH STREET. NOW THE TRAFFIC WAS GETTING BAD. BECAUSE NOW THERE WAS LOT OF PEOPLE WALKING FROM THE SCENE. WE SAW A LOT OF VEHICLES TO THE LEFT SO WE WENT SOUTH ON CHURCH. WE STOPPED JUST AROUND THE POST OFFICE BEFORE YOU GET TO VESEY. IT WAS ALL BLOCKED UP. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND TOLD LARRY I SAW AN FBI AGENT AND WAS GOING TO START TALKING TO HIM.


I GAVE HIM MY CARD AND HE GAVE ME HIS CARD SAID THOUGHT THAT THAT SECOND PLANE THAT WENT INTO THE SOUTH TOWER WAS MILITARY PLANE LIKE TRANSPORT OR SMALL CARGO MILITARY. THE REASON HE THOUGHT THAT I FOUND OUT LATER THE SUN NEVER SHINED OFF IT. IT WAS A DARK COLOR PLANE. IT ENDED UP I FOUND OUT LATER IT WAS WHY. IT WAS UNITED AIRLINES. THEY PAINT THEIR PLANES DULL GRAY AND BLUE. I DIDNT SEE ANY SHINE OFF THE PLANE WHEN IT WENT FROM DARK TO SUN. I JUST GAVE HIM CARDS, LEFT, TURNED AROUND AND SAID, "WHERE THE HECK DID THEY GO?"


I COULDNT SEE THE CAR. I REALIZED THEY HAD CROSSED OVER VESEY AND THE CAR WAS RIGHT OVER THERE. THERE WAS A SUBWAY ENTRANCE ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE STREET RIGHT BY THE CEMETERY CHURCH. YEAH, THE CAR WAS RIGHT UP THERE. RIGHT BY THE ENTRANCE TO THE SUBWAY. BRIAN MIGHT HAVE EVEN HAVE JUMPED PART OF THE CURB. THEY WERE GETTING THE STUFF OUT OF THE TRUNK. WE WERE ALL GETTING DRESSED PUTTING OUR TURNOUT GEAR ON, FULL TURNOUT BUNKER GEAR, HELMETS, COUPLE LIGHTS, THE PADS, AND STUFF.


LARRY AGAIN SAID, "WEVE GOT TO STAY TOGETHER UNTIL WE GET TO THE COMMAND POST." I LOOKED UP AND THERE WAS DEBRIS COMING DOWN. PAPERS, YOU KNOW PAPERS ALL OVER THE AIR. WE LOOKED AT EACH OTHER. "THE COMMAND POST WHERE IS IT GOING TO BE? ITS GOING TO BE ON WEST STREET SOMEPLACE AROUND THE AREA WHERE IT WAS DURING THE BOMBING." "HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET DOWN?" WE KNEW PEOPLE WERE COMING OUT OF THE NORTH TOWER.


THERE WAS ALL THIS DEBRIS. I LOOKED ACROSS THE STREET AND KNEW WE COULD GO DOWN LIKE YOU GO INTO THE SUBWAY RIGHT DOWN TO THE CONCOURSE. SO WE DID. WE WENT IN OFF CHURCH, IN THE DOOR, DOWN ONE FLIGHT OF STAIRS TO THE CONCOURSE LEVEL. I JUST KNOW HOW TO GO FROM WORKING IN RESCUE AND WORKING THE 1ST DIVISION WHEN WAS IN THE UNION. WE CUT ACROSS THE CONCOURSE. THE LIGHTS WERE ON I REMEMBER THE LIGHTS IN THE STORES WERE STILL ON IN THE CONCOURSE. NOT ALL THE LIGHTS. NOT ALL THE LIGHTS IN THE HALLWAY. BUT THE LIGHTS IN SOME OF THE STORES WERE STILL ON. I SAW THAT.


I STARTED CUTTING ACROSS. JUST ABOUT THE TIME, YOU COULD SEE, NOW YOU GET TO THE AREA WHERE ALL THE ESCALATORS COME UP FROM THE PATH LINE. THATS ON OUR RIGHT NOW. ITS DARK. THERE WERE NO MORE LIGHTS IN THE HALLWAYS. JUST BEFORE YOU GET THERE, I LOOKED TO THE LEFT. THERE'S A HALLWAY WHERE THERE'S AN ENTRANCE TO GO TO THE SOUTH TOWER.


I COULD LOOK TO THE SOUTH. YOU COULD SEE FIGURES OF PEOPLE FIREMEN OR HELMETS IN THE SOUTH TOWER. ITS THE LOBBY OF THE SOUTH TOWER. ITS TOO FAR TO SEE ANYBODY. JUST FROM PASSING WHERE THE PATH ESCALATORS COME UP ON THE RIGHT. THERE WAS AN ENGINE COMPANY. ITS A BROOKLYN COMPANY. I JUST REMEMBER THREE NUMBERS.


THEY CAME UP AND SAID, "CHIEF HOW DO YOU GET TO THE SOUTH TOWER." I SAID, "GO UP A WAYS. YOU'LL SEE A SIGN TO THE RIGHT. JUST MAKE A RIGHT, YOU'LL GO TO THE SOUTH TOWER." JUST AFTER WE PASSED THEM, WE WALKED UP AND THE SPRINKLERS ARE GOING OFF. YOU COULD SEE THE SPRINKLERS GOING OFF. I THINK IT WAS LARRY THAT SAID, "THATS A GOOD SIGN."

OF COURSE NOW WE KNOW THAT WASNT. THAT WAS THE WATER DRAINING OUT OF THE SYSTEM. THE SPRINKLERS WERE GOING OFF IN THAT CONCOURSE LEVEL IN THE AREA OF THE SOUTH TOWER. ALL THE SPRINKLERS WERE GOING OFF. WE CUT IN. WHEN YOU GO INTO THE LOBBY. AT THAT AREA THATS NOT THE LOBBY OF THE BUILDING. THATS LIKE THAT STREET LEVEL LOBBY. THE COMMAND POST LEVEL LOBBY IS HIGHER. THATS IN THE NORTH TOWER. I DONT KNOW WAS I JUST LOOKING A LITTLE BIT. LARRY SAID IT BEFORE I SAW IT.


HE SAID, "HOLY SHIT." ALL OF THOSE FIXED WINDOWS IN THE LOBBY WERE BLOWN OUT. THEY WERE GONE. HE SAID IT AND WAS LOOKING AT IT. HE SAID, "WE CANT GO OUT THERE." I DONT REMEMBER WHY. I KNEW WHY.


Q:THE LOBBY OF THE HOTEL THERE.


NO, THE LOBBY OF TOWER ONE. THE NORTH TOWER. WE WALKED IN THE LOBBY. THE LONG FIXED WINDOWS ARE BLOWN OUT. AS SOON AS LARRY SAYS IT, IM LOOKING AT THE WINDOWS, AND LARRY SAYS, "WE CANT GO OUT THERE."


I KNEW IN MY MIND WHY. THE DEBRIS COMING DOWN OR PEOPLE COMING DOWN. AS SOON AS HE SAID IT THERE, WAS NO DOUBT. I QUICK LOOKED TO MY LEFT BECAUSE I KNOW FROM '93 IN THAT OTHER INCIDENT THE BOMBING. I LOOKED TO MY LEFT AND COULD SEE THERES FOUR DOORS OUT OF THE SOUTH END OF THE LOBBY THAT GO INTO THE HOTEL. THEYRE NOT REALLY GREATLY MARKED BUT YOU GO THROUGH THOSE DOORS.


I SAID, "WE'LL GO THIS WAY." I SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THE HOTEL. WHEN WE FIRST GO THROUGH THOSE DOORS, ITS DARK IN THERE. THERES NO LIGHTS AND THE HALLWAY IS DARK. WE'RE WALKING THROUGH AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH YOU COULD SEE LIGHT AT THE OTHER END. I'M WALKING THROUGH AND COULD SEE THESE CONCRETE COLUMNS, BIG CONCRETE COLUMNS. THREE FEET MAYBE EVEN LARGER THAN THAT, MAYBE UP TO FOUR FEET IN DIAMETER.


I JUST MADE NOTE OF IT. THEN AS YOU COME OUT OF THAT THERES A CIRCULAR AREA. ITS LIKE A ROTUNDA. I REMEMBER THE CEILING WAS HIGHER THERE. THE COLUMNS WERE ALL AROUND THAT, ALL AROUND THE WALLS AGAIN. I SAID, "THEY WERENT THERE IN '93, THOSE TOWERS." I JUST SAID IN THE BACK OF MY MIND, "THEY MUST HAVE PUT THOSE THINGS IN WHEN THEY REBUILT THIS PLACE. BECAUSE THATS ABOUT THE AREA WHERE THE BOMB WENT OFF."


AT THE END WHERE THOSE COLUMNS WERE AND THEN THE COLUMNS ENDED AND JUST BEFORE YOU WALKED INTO THE LOBBY, WE WERE LOOKING TOWARD THE LOBBY AND COULD SEE THE GLASS WINDOWS. I SEE THE HIGH CEILING OF THE LOBBY. I COULD SEE BUNCH OF PEOPLE, A FIRE DEPARTMENT CHIEF. I COULD SEE BACK OF THE COAT.


DEPUTY CHIEF GALVIN, SO KNOW ITS TOMMY GALVIN FROM THE 3RD DIVISION. HIS BACK IS TO US. THE REST OF THE PEOPLE ARE FACING US. I DONT KNOW IF I SAY SOMETHING TO LARRY OR JUST POINT TO HIM. IN MY MIND, THE INTENTION WAS TO GO OVER AND SEE GALVIN AND FIND OUT WHERE THE COMMAND POST WAS EXACTLY. WHERE THE COMMAND POST WAS. AS WE WERE WALKING TOWARDS HIM, ABOUT I'D SAY SIX TO EIGHT FEET FROM GALVIN, AND LOT OF GUYS ARE LOOKING AT HIM.  BUT THE ONE GUY, FREDDIE SCHEFFOLD FROM THE 12TH BATTALION, HE LOOKED AT ME. I LOOKED AT HIM. YOU KNOW HOW YOU MAKE EYE CONTACT WITH SOMEBODY AND YOU ACKNOWLEDGE EACH OTHER. ITS JUST THAT NOD. I KNOW HE SEES ME.


AT THAT EXACT MOMENT, I CAN FEEL OR HEAR THE NOISE. I FIRST HEAR NOISE. RIGHT AFTER THAT NOISE YOU COULD FEEL THE BUILDING START TO SHUDDER. TREMBLE UNDER YOUR FEET.


SOMEBODY SAID TO ME, "WHATS GOING ON?"
I SAID, "WHATS GOING ON? THE FUCKING BUILDING. THE GODDAMN BUILDING IS COMING DOWN."
I ACTUALLY SAID, "THE FUCKING BUILDING IS COMING DOWN. THIS GODDAMN BUILDING IS COMING DOWN."


I KNEW WHAT WAS COMING DOWN. THE BUILDING I WAS IN WAS COMING DOWN. I LOOKED REAL QUICK FORWARD. I DIDNT LIKE THAT OPTION BECAUSE IT WAS A BIG HIGH LOBBY, LOT OF GLASS. I FIGURED IT WAS NOT THAT WELL SUPPORTED REMEMBER SEEING THOSE COLUMNS.


WHOEVER WAS NEXT TO ME, I THOUGHT IT WAS TELESCA, BUT IT ENDED UP BEING MYERS, BRIAN MYERS.
HE SAID, "WHERE ARE WE GOING?"
I TURNED AND SAID, "WE'RE GOING BACK TO THOSE COLUMNS."
I REMEMBER TAKING FEW STEPS AND TRYING TO RUN AND YOU'RE EITHER THROWN OR BLOWN OFF YOUR FEET. I REMEMBER I ENDED UP MY FACE. I WAS RIGHT UP AGAINST THE WALL. THE COLUMN WAS RIGHT NEAR MY LEFT SHOULDER. A BIG COLUMN THATS IT.


IT WAS A TERRIBLE NOISE, BESIDES THE BUILDING SHUDDERING, THE SOUND WAS HORRENDOUS. TO ME IT SOUNDED LIKE STEEL CUTTING THROUGH STEEL. THATS HOW I EXPLAIN IT. YOURE LAYING THERE, THERES STUFF HITTING YOU. I HAD MY RIGHT HAND UP BEHIND MY HEAD AND NECK AND JUST SAID, "LET IT BE MERCIFUL." BECAUSE YOU THINK ITS ALL OVER. THERES STUFF HITTING YOU, BUT NOTHING. THE STUFF IS DEBRIS FLYING AROUND. Q: NOTHING NOTHING HITS YOU. THE NEXT THING YOU...


Q: SOMEBODY COMPARED IT TO AS PELTING YOU


YEAH BUT IT WASNT HEAVY


Q: NO


IT WAS LIKE STONE STUFF HITTING YOU AND EVERYTHING. I THOUGHT IT WAS CEILING TILES. THE SUSPENDED CEILING AND SHIT LIKE THAT. ALL OF SUDDEN THE NOISE STOPS. THERES NO MORE SHAKING. LATER AFTER COUPLE SECONDS YOU LISTEN. MY HEARING IS NOT GREAT BUT I THINK ITS PRETTY ACUTE. AT THIS POINT, I'M REALLY LISTENING. I DONT HEAR ANYTHING ELSE GOING ON. ITS ALL RIGHT.


I WAS JUST READY TO SAY SOMETHING OR TRY TO GET UP. I ACTUALLY THINK I TRIED TO PUSH MYSELF UP LITTLE BIT AND RIGHT AWAY I KNOW MY LEFT SHOULDER, MY ARM IS HURTING. I LAID THERE FOR COUPLE SECONDS, THEN HEAR SOMEBODY COUGH BEHIND ME. AS SOON AS I HEAR SOMEBODY COUGH, I YELL, "WHO IS THAT?"


AGAIN I ALWAYS THINK ITS TELESCA, BUT ITS NOT, ITS MYERS.
I SAID, "WHOS THAT?"
HE RECOGNIZES MY VOICE, "CHIEF, WHERE ARE YOU?"
I COULD HEAR HIS VOICE. I KNOW HE'S BEHIND ME. I HAVE MY HAND LIGHT, THE CHIEFS HAND LIGHT. I KNEW IT WAS ON. I COULD SEE IT WAS ON. I PUT IT UP OVER MY HEAD. IT WAS DUSTY. I STARTED MOVING THE LIGHT.


"CAN YOU SEE THE LIGHT?"
HE SAID, "NO, DONT SEE THE LIGHT."
WHAT THE HELLS GOING ON. I COULDNT FIGURE IF IT WAS DEBRIS OR JUST THE DUST.
I SAID, "I'LL KEEP MOVING THE LIGHT."
"DO IT FEW MORE TIMES." HE SAID. "OH. I SEE YOU NOW. I'LL BE RIGHT THERE."


IN REAL SHORT TIME, HE'S NEXT TO ME.


I SAID, "YOU'VE GOT TO HELP ME GET UP." BECAUSE I COULDNT PUSH MYSELF UP. I TRIED TO PUSH MYSELF UP. I WOULDNT PUT PRESSURE ON MY SHOULDER. HE HELPS ME UP TO MY KNEES. AS SOON AS I GET TO MY KNEES, I REALIZE MY HELMETS MISSING.


I SAID. "DO ME FAVOR, MY HELMET'S GOT TO BE RIGHT HERE. JUST FIND MY HELMET." MY GLASSES ARE GONE.
HE SAID, "I DONT HAVE A LIGHT."
I HAND HIM THE LIGHT. I JUST STAYED THERE KNEELING FEELING AROUND A LITTLE BIT. HE WASNT GONE LONG. WHEN HE WAS BACK, HE GAVE ME MY HELMET. I SAID, "THANKS."


BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID SOMETHING NOW WAS GOING FALL AND HIT ME IN THE HEAD AND KILL ME. HE GETS ME UP TO MY FEET.


HE SAID, "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?"


WE TURN AROUND AND MAYBE AGAIN SIX EIGHT FEET BEHIND FROM WHERE WE LEFT. I DONT THINK WE TRAVELED. IT WAS FLOOR TO CEILING DEBRIS. IT WAS JUST SOLID FROM AS HIGH UP AS I CAN LOOK WHICH IS PRETTY HIGH AT THIS POINT. ITS FLOOR TO CEILING DEBRIS. I'M LOOKING AT THAT.


I THINK BRIAN HEARS IT FIRST. THESE VOICES. BEFORE I DO. I WAS LOOKING AT THE DEBRIS AND LOOKING AROUND AT THE LIGHT. HE GAVE ME THE LIGHT BACK. I THINK HE YELLS AND DONT KNOW IF IT WAS TELESCA OR LARRY. NO, I THINK LARRY ANSWERED. WE START TO MOVE TOWARDS HIM. I COULD HEAR SOME GUY YELLING "MAYDAY, MAYDAY." ON THE RADIO HANDY TALKY.


"THERES BEEN A COLLAPSE. WE'RE TRAPPED."


I LOOKED. IT WAS EDDIE HENRY FROM THE 40 BATTALION. I RECOGNIZED HIM. HE WAS YELLING. WE GET TO LARRY. BY THE TIME WE GET TO LARRY, THE NEXT THING KNOW ALL FOUR OF US ARE THERE. LARRY'S THERE, MIKE TELESCA, BRIAN AND MYSELF. THINK LARRY SAID SOMETHING ABOUT... BECAUSE NOBODY WAS ANSWERING HENRY...


HE SAID SOMETHING LIKE, "NOBODYS ANSWERING. YOU SHOULD KNOCK IT OFF."
I SAID LARRY, "LET HIM YELL. MAYBE SOMEBODY WILL HEAR HIM. NOBODY KNOWS WE ARE HERE."


LARRY TURNED ONE WAY. I TURNED ANOTHER AND THERE WAS A LIEUTENANT THERE. THERE WAS A WHOLE BUNCH OF DEBRIS. I REMEMBER HIM SAYING, "HEY CHIEF. CHIEF, THERE'S A GUY TRAPPED IN HERE."


HE DISAPPEARS THROUGH A SMALL HOLE IN THE DEBRIS. I TRIED TO FOLLOW HIM. AS SOON AS I TRIED TO FOLLOW HIM, THAT STUFF HIT MY LEFT SHOULDER. IT WAS LIKE, "WHEW, STOP DONT ATTEMPT THAT AGAIN."


I BACK UP AND LARRY IS COMING AGAIN.
LARRY SAID, "WHATS UP?"
I SAID, "LARRY, THIS GUY SAYS HES GOT A GUY IN HERE TRAPPED."
I TOLD THE GUY, I SAID, "I CANT GET THROUGH THERE."
I TURNED AROUND AND SAID, "JUST KEEP TALKING TO THE GUY FIND OUT HIS NAME. YOU KNOW ALL THAT STUFF."
I TURN AROUND AND LARRY IS BEHIND ME.
HE SAID, "WHATS GOING ON?"
I SAID, "THERE'S A GUY IN THERE TRAPPED."
I SAID, "I TRIED TO GET THROUGH, BUT CANT. I HURT MY ARM AND CANT GET THROUGH."
HE SAID, "ALL RIGHT, LET ME GO."
I SAID, "IF YOURE GOING THROUGH THERE, WE TRADE LIGHTS."


REMEMBER HE HAD THE FIREMANS LIGHT. HE HAD A HAND LIGHT. I HAD THE BIG CHIEF LIGHT. I SAID, "HERE TAKE THAT LIGHT. YOU GO THROUGH THERE. IM GOING TO GO..."
AS SOON AS I SAID, "GO", HE SAID, "WHOA, WHOA, WE'VE GOT TO STAY TOGETHER." SAID LARRY.
"WE ARE STILL FUCKING TRAPPED IN THIS BUILDING." I SAID "YOU TRY TO GET THE GUY OUT. IM GOING TO GO BACK THE WAY WE CAME IN AND SEE IF WE CAN GET A WAY OUT."
 I SAID. "BUT ILL COME BACK TO YOU."
"IF YOU FIND THE GUY COME TO ME THATS WHAT WE'LL DO"


I LEAVE. ITS COLLAPSING. WHEN I GET AWAY FROM THIS AREA IN THIS HALLWAY, AGAIN ITS LIKE A LEAN TO. BUT JUST BEFORE I GET TO THE HALLWAY. I FIND A DOOR. I OPEN THE DOOR. ITS A STORAGE ROOM. I QUICK LOOK IN, THERES NO OUTLETS. I REMEMBER FEELING COLD AIR THOUGH. IN THE BACK OF MY MIND, CLOSE THE DOOR IF YOU STAY TO THE LEFT, YOU CAN BEND OVER AND WALK UP THIS HALLWAY, DOWN TO THE RIGHT, WHERE ITS LIKE A LEAN TO. YOU HAVE TO CRAWL.


I STAYED ALONG THE WALL. I GO ALONG AND ALL OF SUDDEN THERE'S THIS GUY YELLING AND THERE'S A DOOR OPEN AND ITS A CIVILIAN. I ASKED WHO HE IS AND HE SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT HOTEL SECURITY.
HE SAID, "I'VE GOT A DOOR. I THINK ITS AN EXIT."
I SAID, "WHERE DOES IT GO?"
HE SAID, "DOWN."
I SAID, "DOWN WHERE?"
HE SAID, "WELL I THINK YOU HAVE TO GO DOWN ONE OR TWO FLIGHTS"
I SAID, "WHOA, WE'RE NOT GOING DOWN ANYPLACE.
HE SAID, "GIVE ME THE LIGHT."
I SAID, "NICE FUCKING TRY. YOURE NOT GETTING MY LIGHT, EITHER."
I SAID, "STAY HERE, WE'RE NOT GOING CHANGING LEVELS. WE HAVE OTHER PEOPLE AT THIS LEVEL. WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE TOGETHER."


THEN CONTINUE UP, GO UP, AND FIND WHERE WE CAME IN BUT THE ROLLED UP GATES COME DOWN AND THEY'RE SOLID METAL. I HAVE NO RADIO, SO TAKE THE HAND LIGHT AND BANG ON THE DOOR. BANG ON THE GATE WAIT HOPING SOMEBODY WILL ANSWER. LITTLE WHILE, NOTHING, BANGED SOME MORE. DID THAT LIKE THREE OR FOUR TIMES. REALIZED THERES NOBODY ANSWERING ON THE OTHER SIDE AND CANT KEEP STAYING HERE. I  DONT HAVE THE RADIO. I DONT REMEMBER WHO HAD THE RADIO.


I THINK LARRY HAD IT. I'M NOT SURE. I HAD NO RADIO. YOU CANT HEAR ANYTHING AFTER THREE OR FOUR TIMES BANGING.
I SAID, "THIS IS NO GOOD." I START TO TURN BACK TO GO BACK TOWARDS WHERE LARRY AND EVERYBODY WAS, BUT AS I GO BACK I NOTICED A DOOR ON MY RIGHT. I DIDNT SEE ON THE WAY OUT BECAUSE WAS FOCUSED ON THOSE GATES.


I OPENED THAT DOOR UP. IT MIGHT HAVE SAID EXIT ON IT, IM NOT SURE. OR LIGHT. I OPENED THE DOOR, TEN FEET IN THERE'S ANOTHER DOOR. QUICK OPEN THAT ONE, GO TO THE NEXT ONE AND THERE'S A THIRD DOOR.

I SAID, "THIS IS NO GOOD, TOO MANY DOORS. GO BACK." JUST AS WE GO BACK THERE'S A CIVILIAN AND I DONT KNOW IF ITS THE SAME GUY I MET THE FIRST TIME OR NOT. AGAIN CIVILIAN CLOTHES.
I SAID, "YOU STAY BY THIS FIRST DOOR. YOU KEEP THE DOOR OPEN. I'M GOING THROUGH THE SECOND DOOR THERES ANOTHER DOOR. IF I START YELLING, YOU JUST YELL."


I DIDNT KNOW IF I WAS GOING THROUGH A MAZE OR NOT. "YOU JUST YELL."


AS SOON AS OPENED THE THIRD DOOR, THERES HOLE IN THE WALL. I COULD SEE OUT ONTO WEST STREET. THIS IS BLOCK WALL AND THE HOLE IS ABOUT, I'VE GOT TO SAY FOUR AND HALF TO FIVE FEET OFF THE GROUND. BUT YOU COULD SEE OUT. ALL YOU COULD SEE IS THE DUST AND DEBRIS AT THAT POINT. I DONT SEE ANYBODY OUT THERE.


THERE'S A DOOR TO THE RIGHT. I OPENED THAT DOOR. THEN I THEN COULD SEE A DOOR THAT SAYS EXIT, ANOTHER DOOR.
I SAID, "SCREW THIS."


RUN BACK, OKAY, I HAVE HOLE THE WALL. I HAVE A DOOR MARKED EXIT. I RUN BACK. I START MOVING BACK. THERE ARE CIVILIANS THERE.


I START YELLING, "WE HAVE AN EXIT HERE. TELL THEM." "YOU KEEP YELLING"


JUST THEN ED HENRY COMES. HE'S THE FIRST GUY THAT GETS THERE. SO HE GOES BACK WITH ME.


I TELL THE GUY, "KEEP YELLING."


THE GUY STARTS YELLING, "COME THIS WAY. WE HAVE A WAY OUT. WE HAVE A WAY OUT."


I WENT BACK WITH ED HENRY. HE GETS TO THE OPENING IN THE WALL, I REMEMBER HE YELLS A COUPLE OF MAYDAYS ON THE RADIO. AGAIN HE'S FRUSTRATED, BECAUSE HE'S YELLING AND THERE IS NOBODY ANSWERING.


I SAID, "ED THERE'S A DOOR THERE. WE OPEN THAT DOOR. HE GOES DOWN. HE LEAVES ME. HE GOES DOWN AND I WATCH HIM. HE PUSHES AND OPENS IT EIGHT INCHES OR SO AND IT WONT MOVE ANYMORE.
I SAID, "SHOOT."
I SAID, "THERE IS STILL NOBODY THERE."
I SAID, "I CANT REALLY HELP TOO MUCH."
I TURNED AROUND AND I SAID I WOULD PUT MY BACK AGAINST THE DOOR, YOU PUSH.


IT OPENS TO MAYBE 12 INCHES BUT IT STOPS LIKE DEAD. THATS NOT GOING TO WORK. WE GO BACK HE'S STILL YELLING THE MAYDAY.
I SAID, "ED, USE THE HAND LIGHT. USE THE LIGHT." HE'S SHAKING IT BACK AND FORTH IN A FEW MINUTES HE COMES AGAIN. HE'S FRUSTRATED. NOW MORE PEOPLE ARE... NO THEYRE NOT THERE YET. I CAN HEAR THE GUY YELLING, I CAN HEAR PEOPLE COMING.


ED HENRY GETS A CHAIR AND HE CLIMBS ON THIS CHAIR.
I SAID, "WHERE ARE YOU GOING?"
HE SAID, "IM GOING TO GO OVER THE WALL AND SEE IF I CAN GET THE DOOR OPEN." HES CLIMBING UP ALREADY I THOUGHT, "OH SHIT, HE'S GOT NO HELMET ON."
I SAID, "IF YOURE GOING OVER THE WALL." AND GIVE HIM MY HELMET.


I'M AFRAID IF HE GOES OVER THE WALL AND SOMETHING HITS HIM IN THE FUCKING HEAD HE WONT BE ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR FOR US.


HE NO SOONER GOES OVER THE DOOR AND DISAPPEARS. HE GOES TO THE RIGHT. I CAN'T SEE HIM ANYMORE AND SAID TO MYSELF, "THAT WASN'T SMART, GIVING UP YOUR HELMET."


I KNEW WHY I DID IT. THE NEXT THING I KNOW LARRY'S THERE. THESE TWO OFFICERS. OH, BRIAN MYERS IS THERE THOUGHT MIKE WAS THERE BUT HE WASNT. I DONT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, BUT HE WASNT THERE. I KNOW NOW BUT HE WASNT WITH US AND THE TWO GUYS, THE ONE GUY SAID, "WHO ARE YOU?"


I SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THE GUY THAT WAS TRAPPED.
LARRY SAID, "YEAH THIS IS THE GUY. WE HAVE HIM."
I SAID, "WHERE ARE YOU FROM COMPANY?"
HE SAID, "NO WE'RE FROM RESCUE SCHOOL. WE SHOULDNT BE HERE."
I KNOW I HAD THE FEELING WE WERE'NT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE EITHER BECAUSE NOBODY KNOWS WE'RE HERE.


AND THERE WERE COUPLE CIVILIANS I THINK MAYBE IN GENERAL BETWEEN ED
HENRY, HIS AIDE, BRIAN, I FIGURED THERE WAS ABOUT TEN PEOPLE THERE AT MOST. THATS ALL THAT CAME FROM THE AREA THAT SURVIVED. I TURN AROUND AND COULD SEE SOMEBODY WITH WHITE HELMET WALKING WHICH TO ME LOOKS LIKE HES WALKING TOWARDS US. I KEEP WATCHING, HE'S GETTING CLOSER. I DON'T HAVE MY GLASSES, MY GLASSES ARE GONE. HE'S NOT TOO FAR AWAY AND I REALIZE ITS RAY DOWNEY.


LARRY HAD TALKED TO ONE OF THE CIVILIANS AND THE GUY HAD SOME KIND OF PROBLEM. I DIDNT KNOW IF HE WAS HURT. I DIDN'T KNOW IF HE HAD A HEART CONDITION. I REMEMBER LARRY SAYING, "THIS GUY SAID HE CAN'T. WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT. IF WE HAVE TO GO OVER THE WALL THIS GUY SAID SOMETHING ABOUT HE COULDN'T. HE NEEDED HELP."


JUST THEN RAY CAME. I WAS TALKING TO HIM. WE WERE TALKING THROUGH THE HOLE IN THE WALL.


HE SAID," YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED." THIS GUY HAS GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE. LARRY COMES OVER. LARRY'S TALKING TO HIM. I BACKED UP LITTLE BIT.


I THINK LARRY OR ED ONE OF THEM SAID, "LETS GO. WEVE GOT TO START GETTING OUT OF HERE."
I TURNED FIRST AND SAID, "LARRY I'LL STAY HERE BECAUSE IM GOING TO HAVE TROUBLE."
HE SAID, "KNOCK IT OFF. YOU'RE THE FIRST GUY. WE'RE GETTING YOU OUT OF HERE BECAUSE YOU CANT TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF'"


WE GO OVER THERE AND I THINK HE WANTS TO LIFT ME UP. I SEE THE CHAIR THERE THAT HENRY HAD PUSHED OVER TO THE SIDE.
I SAID, "GRAB THE CHAIR AND PUT IT TO THE BACK. TURN IT BACKWARDS."


I STOOD ON THE CHAIR BACKWARDS MAYBE STOOD ON THE BACK OF THE CHAIR AND THEN BRIAN MYERS AND LARRY BOOSTED ME UP ON THE WALL. I SWUNG MY LEGS AROUND. RAY IS THERE AND HE WANTED TO GRAB ME.


I SAID, "NO."
I JUST PUT MY RIGHT ARM TO HIS RIGHT SHOULDER.
HE PUT HIS ARM UP AND I SLID DOWN THE WALL.
HE KEPT SAYING TO ME, "JUST WALK AWAY FROM THE BUILDING AS FAST AS YOU CAN AND HEAD TOWARDS FEEHAN AND GANCI. CAN YOU SEE THEM?"
HE POINTED TO THEM.
I COULD SEE JUST TWO WHITE HELMETS WAY ACROSS WEST STREET ALMOST BY THE CURB. I COULD SEE THEM. I STARTED TO MANEUVER AROUND THE SIDEWALK. IT WASN'T TOO BAD WITH DEBRIS.


THERE WERE A COUPLE RIGS THERE REMEMBER SEEING 10 TRUCK. THATS WHERE THE SIDEWALK COMES IN AND CURVES IN. THAT RIG WAS PARTIALLY TURNED IN LIKE THAT. I REMEMBER SEEING THE RIG THERE. I SAW 10 ON THE LADDER SAW 10 TRUCK ON THE LADDER. I WALKED BEHIND THAT IN FRONT OF THE PUMPER. I DECIDED TO WALK ACROSS WEST STREET.


THERE'S ALL THAT DUST LIKE MOONSCAPE. AS YOU WALK EVERY ONCE IN WHILE ON DUST, I DIDN'T REALIZE IT THEN BUT WHAT YOURE DOING IS THE DUST IS COVERING THAT STAINLESS STEEL. WHEN YOU HAVE STAINLESS STEEL AND DUST IT'S LIKE A SHUFFLEBOARD. WHEN I GOT THAT QUICK MOVEMENT MY ARM WOULD GO, "OH, DONT DO THAT FUCKING MOVE ANYMORE, STUPID."


I'M MOVING ACROSS THAT IM TRYING TO PICK MY WAY. IT WAS PRETTY SLOW IN THE BEGINNING. I SEE SOMEBODY WITH BLACK HELMET COMING FROM MY RIGHT. I JUST TRIED TO KEEP MOVING. I'M FOCUSED ON THOSE TWO WHITE HELMETS. I KEEP GOING GET ACROSS THE STREET. ABOUT A THIRD OF THE WAY OVER THE GUY WITH THE BLACK HELMET COMES. I DON'T REALIZE WHO IT WAS. I KNOW NOW IT WAS AL FUENTES BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT IT.


 I NEVER REALIZED, I GUESS I WAS SO FOCUSED ON GETTING TO GANCI AND FEEHAN. HE HELPS ME ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF THE WAY. AFTER ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF THE WAY ACROSS WEST STREET MOST OF THAT DEBRIS STOPS. IT'S EASIER TO MANEUVER. HE LEAVES ME.


I GET TO GANCI AND FEEHAN. I JUST TELL THEM HOW MANY PEOPLE THERE ARE.


"WHO'S THERE, WHERE WERE YOU, HOW MANY PEOPLE SURVIVED?"


I SAID THERE WAS ABOUT 10 MAYBE 11 PEOPLE WHERE WE ARE. "ANYBODY BURIED?"
I SAID, "TBERE WERE TWO GUYS THAT WE FOUND. ONE GUY WAS BURIED."


ONE KID HAD DUG HIMSELF OUT. ONE LIEUTENANT AND THE OTHER GUY, THEY WENT BACK WITH LARRY. AND GOT OUT.


I SAID, "THAT'S THE ONLY TWO."


THEY SAID THEY HEARD. BECAUSE THEY SAID THERES NOBODY ELSE THEY HEARD. ALL THEY SAW WAS DEBRIS FROM FLOOR TO CEILING. WE WERE JUST TRAPPED IN THIS LITTLE CORNER OF THE BUILDING. I'LL SHOW YOU ON THE DIAGRAM LATER.


"OKAY," GANCI TURNS AROUND AND SAYS TO ME, "CAN YOU MOVE ON YOUR OWN OR DO YOU NEED HELP?"


I SAID, "NO." HE HAD HIS HANDS FULL.
I SAID, "I'LL MOVE ON MY OWN."
JUST AS I'M LEAVING HE SAID, "WHERE'S RAY?"
"WHERE ARE YOU GUYS TURN AROUND LOOK BACK AT THE HOTEL. AGAIN YOU CANT SEE DONT SEE CLEAR WITHOUT MY GLASSES BUT ITS STILL DUSTY. I COULD SEE RAY'S HELMET. I COULD SEE THE WHITE HELMET.
I SAID, "YOU SEE THE HELMET?"
HE SAID, "WHERE WHERE?"
"SEE IT. IT'S RIGHT WHERE THE BUILDING BENDS ALMOST IN THE HOTEL," I SAID. "RIGHT THERE THATS RAY. OKAY, LARRY AND THEM ARE ON THE INSIDE OF THAT WALL. ALL RIGHT?" HE KNOWS WHERE THEY ARE."
NOW HE SAID, "YOU TAKE OFF."


I THINK IT WAS AROUND THEN OPENED MY COAT UP AND STICK MY HAND INTO THE COAT, CLOSE THE COAT UP. IM LOOKING AT DEBRIS. IT'S BETTER TO STAY UP ON THE SIDEWALK. ON THE SIDEWALK ACROSS THE STREET, MOVE ALONG THEN AT THE POINT WHERE THE ROADWAY MOVES IN. IT GOES UNDER WHERE THE BRIDGE GOES ACROSS AT THAT POINT IT CLEARS UP LITTLE BIT AND MOVE MORE TO THE RIGHT ONTO THE STREET OFF THE SIDEWALK. I MOVE INTO THE STREET, GET UNDER THE ROADWAY, THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE. THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE.


I WANTED TO STOP BECAUSE ONE I KNEW WAS PROTECTED FROM DEBRIS COMING DOWN, BUT SOMETHING IN THE BACK OF MY MIND SAID, "DON'T FUCKING STOP BECAUSE YOURE NOT GOING TO STOP MOVING."


SO I DIDNT STOP. I WALKED LITTLE BIT FURTHER. IF I HAD TO GUESS IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A TOWER LADDER I SAW. I SAW RESCUE LS RIG ON MY RIGHT. I REMEMBER SEEING IT. IT WASNT REALLY DAMAGED. NOTHING FROM THE FIRST COLLAPSE. IT HAD LOT OF DUST ALL OVER IT. I SAW IT THERE. NOBODY BY THE RIG JUST PASSING THAT I'M WALKING. I THINK THERE'S A TOWER LADDER TO MY RIGHT.


I SAW A GUY WALKING. IT'S JOE ANGELINI FROM RESCUE. I DO A DOUBLE TAKE BECAUSE HE DIDNT HAVE A RESCUE HELMET ON. HE HAD BUNKER GEAR AND EVERYTHING ELSE ON.


I SAID, "JOE, DID YOU SEE RESCUE."
HE SAID, "NO, IM TRYING TO FIND IT."


I DIDNT REALIZE HE HAD BEEN ON LIGHT DUTY AND CAME FROM SOC OVER AT THE TAC UNIT.


I SAID, "HOW MUCH FURTHER IS VESEY STREET, BECAUSE THATS WHAT PETE TOLD ME. PETE SAID GET TO VESEY STREET AND THERES AMBULANCES THERE."
I SAID, "ALL RIGHT, THATS WHERE IM TRYING TO GET TO."
JOEY SAID, "YOU WILL SEE THE COLLAPSE UNITS PARKED UP THERE."
IT WASNT THAT MUCH FURTHER REMEMBER SEEING RESCUES COLLAPSE RIG.


I REMEMBER SEEING THE VOLVO ON THE FRONT. THE VOLVO CAB WAS FACING WEST THAT WAS THE RIG. I WALKED IN FRONT OF IT. I WENT UP THERE LOOKED AROUND AND SAW NO AMBULANCES. I SAW LOT OF PEOPLE AROUND. I REMEMBER SEEING SOMEBODY IN WHITE HELMET. I DONT THINK IT WAS ONE OF OURS. IT COULD HAVE BEEN EMS, JUST BECAUSE I DONT RECOGNIZE WHO IT WAS.


I REMEMBER ASKING THE QUESTION, "WHERE ARE THE AMBULANCES?"
SOMEBODY SAID, "OH, TWO OR THREE MORE BLOCKS."
MY FAMOUS QUOTE IS, "YOU'VE GOT TO BE FUCKING KIDDING ME."
AT THIS POINT BECAUSE I MADE IT THIS FAR AND TWO OR THREE MORE BLOCKS AT THIS POINT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE AN OPTION.


SOMEBODY OFF TO MY LEFT, DONT KNOW IF HE TOUCHED ME ON THE SHOULDER OR HEARD HIS VOICE, I TURNED LITTLE BIT TO MY LEFT.
 HE SAID, "CHIEF, YOU DONT HAVE TO GO THERE. JUST GO WEST. GO WEST."
HE'S POINTING. "GO WEST. ON VESEY. THERES TRIAGE AREA UP THERE MUCH CLOSER."


I START WALKING WEST. I DON'T THINK I GET MORE THAN 100 FEET UP PAST THE CURB LINE HEADING WEST ON THAT STREET AND THE FIRST THING I HEAR IS THIS ROAR AND PEOPLE SCREAMING. I HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK OVER MY LEFT SHOULDER. AS IM LOOKING OVER MY LEFT SHOULDER, I SEE A SHADOW COMING TOWARDS ME. I THOUGHT IT WAS ANOTHER PLANE. I DIDNT THINK THE BUILDING WAS COMING DOWN. I THOUGHT IT WAS ANOTHER PLANE. I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.


I TRIED TO RUN, COULDN'T RUN. I MOVED AS FAST AS I COULD. I KNEW THERE WERE PEOPLE RUNNING PAST ME. I COULD FEEL IT. THE NEXT THING YOU'RE AGAIN BLOWN, THROWN OFF YOUR FEET. AT THIS POINT NOW, I'M TRYING TO PROTECT MY LEFT ARM. I'M USING MY RIGHT ARM TO PROTECT IT. IT'S IN THE COAT.


I DROVE BOTH MY KNEES INTO THE GROUND. I'M STILL NOT PUTTING MY HAND OUT AND SMACKED MY FACE RIGHT INTO THE GROUND. I BOUNCED OFF THE GROUND. "OH SHIT" LOOK UP JUST BEFORE IT TURNS PITCH BLACK ALL I CAN REMEMBER SEEING WAS BLOOD ALL OVER THE GROUND. LAYING THERE, THE NEXT THING IT GOES PITCH BLACK YOU CANT SEE ANYTHING.


ALL I KNEW, IS THERE WAS A CHAIN LINK FENCE RIGHT NEXT TO ME. I TRIED TO AGAIN TURN MY FACE NOSE OVER, TOWARDS THE FENCE A LITTLE BIT. IT DIDN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE WITHIN A HALF MINUTE OR SO I COULDNT BREATHE. THERE WAS BLOOD IN MY NOSE AND ALL THAT CONCRETE TURNED TO LIKE CEMENT.


I GOT MY HAND OVER MY HEAD AGAIN. I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING. THIS IS THE SECOND. WHAT IS GOING ON? I CANT BELIEVE THEY DIDNT SHOOT THE PLANE. I THOUGHT IT WAS A PLANE. WHY DIDNT THEY FUCKING SHOOT THIS PLANE OUT OF THE AIR? I PUT MY HAND OVER MY HEAD AGAIN. I THINK ITS ALL OVER.


"LET IT BE MERCIFUL A SECOND TIME." I SAID.


THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE. I COULD FEEL THINGS ACTUALLY FLYING THROUGH THE AIR. I CAN'T HEAR THEM. I ACTUALLY FEEL LIKE PRESSURE CHANGING. I KNOW THERE'S SHIT FLYING THROUGH THE AIR.


I SAID, "SOMETHING IS GOING TO WHACK ME. THIS IS GOING TO BE OVER."


I'M LAYING THERE ALL OF SUDDEN SOMEBODY AGAIN BEHIND ME. I COULD FEEL THEM NOT FAR FROM MY RIGHT FOOT. I CAN HEAR THE VOICE, " I CAN'T BREATHE. I'VE GOT TO GET UP."
I SAID, "DON'T GET UP. FIRST OFF, IT'S PITCH BLACK. THERES NO WAY YOU CAN TELL WHERE YOU'RE GOING. TWO. FEEL THESE THINGS FLYING THROUGH THE AIR?"
THIS GUY, "LET ME GET UP."
"YOU'RE GOING TO GET FUCKING KILLED." I SAID, "JUST STAY ON THE GROUND. PUT YOUR FACE TO THE GROUND AND TRY TO BREATHE THE BEST YOU CAN. DON'T GET UP."
A COUPLE MINUTES OR SO I HEAR THE GUY SAYING THE SAME THING.
I SAID, "DON'T GET UP. JUST STAY DOWN."


TO ME IT SEEMS LIKE FIVE MINUTES, I DONT KNOW. IN THE BACK OF MY MIND HOW LONG, BUT ITS DARK. FOR LONG TIME, IT'S HARD TO BREATHE. YOU COULD HARDLY EVEN BREATHE. THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW YOU COULD SEE OFF THE GROUND A LITTLE BIT OF LIGHT. YOU SEE IT JUST STARTING TO LIFT.


"OKAY," HE SAID SOMETHING AND I SAID, "LET IT LIFT LITTLE BIT MORE."


JUST AS IT LIFTED LITTLE BIT MORE, HE SAID, "I'M OUT OF HERE."


I SAID, "WHOA, WHOA, YOU'VE GOT TO DO ME FAVOR. YOU'VE GOT TO HELP ME GET UP."


BECAUSE I COULDN'T GET UP, COULDN'T EVEN MOVE AT THIS POINT.


WHOEVER IT WAS, HE CAME UP. I REMEMBER SOMEBODY GRABBED THE BACK OF THE COAT, MY TURNOUT COAT. HELPED ME TO MY FEET. I'M ON MY FEET AND THAT'S IT. HE FINISHED HIS COMMITMENT I SEE THIS GUY GONE. I THINK IT'S CIVILIAN, ONLY BECAUSE THE ONLY THING CAN REALLY SEE IS A GUY WITH CIVILIAN CLOTHES AND WHITE SHIRT RUNNING. NO TURNOUT GEAR. HE'S GONE.


I HOBBLE OUT OF THERE WITH TWO OF MY KNEES KILLING ME AND EVERYTHING ELSE. I HOBBLE DOWN THE STREET. THE FIRST THING COULD SEE IS LOUIE GARCIA. I COULD SEE THE CHAIN LINK FENCE, THE LOT ON THE RIGHT, AND THEN THERE'S A BUILDING UP THERE. I SEE LOUIS GARCIA.


I'M TALKING TO HIM HE SAID, "OH GOD, BRIAN. YOU'RE ALIVE." HE TOLD ME TO GO INSIDE, THERE'S EMS IN THERE. I GO INSIDE. ITS LIKE A DELI OR SOMETHING SOME KIND OF FOOD ESTABLISHMENT. EMS GUYS IN THERE. I WAS LOOKING FOR WATER. I SAW A COOLER AND SAID GIVE ME WATER. I'M TRYING TO DRINK IT HAD THESE GUYS TELLING ME "DON'T SWALLOW IT."


"NO SHIT SHERLOCK. GIVE ME THE FUCKING WATER."


I WAS JUST TRYING TO DRINK IT, SPIT IT OUT, DRINK IT, SPIT IT OUT. I CAN'T BREATHE THROUGH MY NOSE. I'M DOING THAT, JUST THEN LOUIS COMES BACK IN AND JOE CALLAN. I REMEMBER CHIEF CALLAN SAT RIGHT OPPOSITE ME. I HEARD HIM SAY, "OH BRIAN, YOU ARE ALIVE. OH MY GOD, YOU'RE ALIVE."


I LOOKED AT HIM. HE SAID WAS WITH FATHER MYCHAL. HE WAS RIGHT NEXT TO ME. HE'S DEAD. AN EMS GUY CAME OVER BECAUSE GARCIA SAID SOMETHING. HE LOOKED AT COUPLE OF THINGS HE WENT TO TOUCH MY ARM. I REMEMBER HIM SAYING" WE'VE GOT TO GET HIM OUT OF HERE. CAN'T TREAT HIM."


I DONT KNOW IF HE CAME WITH ME OR HE GOT SOMEBODY ELSE. TWO PEOPLE WALKED ME AROUND THE CORNER. WE WERE GOING AROUND THIS BUILDING TO THE HARBOR SIDE AND THAT'S WHERE THE TRIAGE AREA WAS. THEY DID QUICK TRIAGE. THEY TAKE ME IN THE LOBBY.


THERE WAS A CAPTAIN OR CHIEF EMS THERE SAID, "YOU'VE GOT TO GET THIS FUCKING TRIAGE. YOU'VE GOT TO MOVE THIS AREA. IT'S TOO CLOSE." I'M THINKING, "IF THERE IS ANOTHER PLANE COMING IN AFTER THIS ONE" THEY TRIAGED ME AFTER A WHILE I GUESS THERE'S NOBODY COMING IN.


ONE OF THE BOSSES CAME IN AND SAID, "GET ALL THE FIREMEN. GET THEM." SOME MAN COMES OVER AND SAID THEYRE GOING TO PUT ME IN CHAIR STRETCHER. BY NOW THEY HAD PUT A SLING ON MY ARM. A CRAVAT TYPE SLING. I GOT ANOTHER BOTTLE OF WATER FROM SOME CIVILIAN BECAUSE IM STILL TRYING TO WASH EVERYTHING OUT. THAT WAS IT. THEY PUT ME IN AN AMBULANCE.


THERE WAS CAPTAIN THEY WERE LAYING HIM DOWN.
THEY SAID, "WE HAVE TO PUT MORE THAN ONE PERSON IN THE AMBULANCE." THERE ARENT MANY AMBULANCES THERE. I SAW THE JUMP SEAT.


I SAID I WANTED TO SIT UP SO I COULD CONTROL AND HOLD MY ARM. SO I WENT UP IN THE FRONT IN THE JUMP SEAT.
THEY SAID, "CHIEF, CAN YOU OPEN YOUR LEGS UP?"
THEY PUT THE GURNEY OR THE STRETCHER IN AND THERE WAS A CAPTAIN, I REMEMBER HOLDING HANDS, TALKING. I REMEMBER HIM SAYING HE WAS COVERING 22 ENGINE.


I DON'T REMEMBER HIS NAME. HE WAS UNDER THE BRIDGE WHEN THE COLLAPSE OCCURRED AND HE THINKS HE'S THE ONLY GUY IN HIS COMPANY THAT SURVIVED.


I KNOW THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT HIM HAVING BROKEN BONES IN AT LEAST THE ARM AND LEG ON ONE SIDE.


THEY PUT A COUPLE MORE CIVILIANS IN THE BUS. WHEN THE BUS DOOR WAS CLOSING, I REMEMBER THE GUY SAYING, "WHERE ARE WE GOING?"


I HEARD THEM SAYING, "ALL FIREMEN GO TO BELLEVUE."


BELLEVUE, THAT WAS IT.


TWO THINGS LEFT OUT EARLIER, OR ONE THING I GUESS. WHEN I'M BY GANCI I CAN HEAR, IT'S GOT TO BE ON HIS RADIO BECAUSE I DONT HAVE A HANDY TALKY. I HEAR A GUY GIVING, "MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY" HE IDENTIFIES.


HE GOES RIGHT THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCEDURE "THIS IS LADDER OV." "IDENTIFY YOURSELF." "MIKE BRENNAN."
YOUNG GUY I KNOW.
I DONT THINK PETE ANSWERS HIM, BUT WHOEVER ANSWERS THE MAYDAY, I HEAR THEY SAID, "WHERE ARE YOU, LADDER?" THEY WERE IN THE HOTEL, I REMEMBER HIM SAYING THAT AND HE'S TRAPPED.


THAT'S THE POINT I'M LEAVING AND PETE'S TELLING ME, "YOU GET GOING, HEAD NORTH TO THE AREA WHERE THE AMBULANCES ARE." THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY HANDY TALKY MESSAGE I HEARD OTHER THAN TRYING TO GIVE MAYDAYS EARLIER.


Q: ALL WE HAD WERE THE VISUALS


YEAH, SURE. THATS IT.


Q: WITH THE MAP, WHERE DO YOU THINK THE HOLE WAS?


WHAT HOLE?
Q: THAT YOU CAME OUT OF.


OH, SEE WHERE IT SAYS THE WORLD TRADE CENTER THREE, VISTA HOTEL? DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE VISTA ANYMORE.


Q: NO, IT'S THE VISTA INTERNATIONAL MARRIOTT.


MARRIOTT. SEE WHERE THE BEND IS?


Q: YEAH


ITS PAST THAT BEND THE END OF THE BUILDING.


Q:RIGHT


MAYBE 10-12 FEET FROM THE END OF THE BUILDING BACK TOWARDS THAT. IT'S ON THE FLAT SECTION.


Q: YOU WALKED DIRECTLY ACROSS TO TWO WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER.


I PROBABLY MOVED DIAGONALLY A LITTLE. SEE WHERE THAT RED LINE IS?


Q: RIGHT


BECAUSE AS I SAID I REMEMBER THAT'S WHERE THAT LITTLE BEND IS. I WALKED BEHIND 10 TRUCK. 10 TRUCK IS PARTIALLY INTO THAT, NOSE IN, BECAUSE WHEN YOU COME OFF WEST YOU CAN PULL IN RIGHT BENT IN. I WALKED BEHIND THEM.


Q: SO YOU WOUND UP THEN WHEN WALKED BEHIND THEM.


FROM THERE THEN GO STRAIGHT ACROSS SO ON THIS MAP. I'M PROBABLY HEADING.


Q: YEAH, RIGHT.


THIS ISNT EXACTLY THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE ON THIS MAP. IT IS TOO FAR NORTH. BUT I'M WALKING TOWARDS THAT TWO WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER.


Q: YEAH OKAY


BECAUSE I COULD SEE THAT BUILDING, I COULD SEE IT. I THOUGHT I SAW AMBULANCES OVER THERE EVEN THOUGH ONE OF THEM WAS FLIPPED OVER.


Q: OKAY


THERE WERE BIG PIECES OF STEEL LAYING OUT IN THE STREET A LONG WAYS. I REMEMBER SEEING THAT THEYRE NOT ON THE SIDEWALK, BUT THEY'RE RIGHT BY THE SIDEWALK BECAUSE WHEN I LEAVE THEM, I REALIZE THE SIDEWALK IS RIGHT THERE.


Q: THEY'RE ABOVE THE SIDEWALK.


WHAT?


Q: THEY WERE ON THAT GRASSY KNOLL ON TOP OF THE SIDEWALK.


NO. NO, THEY'RE RIGHT BY WHERE THE SIDEWALK STARTS RIGHT IN THE STREET. IN THE STREET. PETE AND FEEHAN ARE WAY ACROSS, NOT TOO MANY FEET. BECAUSE I DONT REALIZE IT WHEN I'M TALKING TO THEM, BUT WHEN I LEAVE THEM SEE THE SIDEWALK. IT MUST HAVE BEEN A COUPLE FEET.


Q: OH, WHEN YOU LEAVE PETE WHEN YOU TURN. TURN AROUND AND GO BEHIND HIM WHEN YOU WERE LOOKING FOR RAY TO POINT TO HIM. THAT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT YOU NOW SEE WHAT HAPPENED. YOU NOW SEE OFF TO YOUR RIGHT, YOU COULD SEE THE PARTS OF THE STEEL STILL STANDING.


  I COULD SEE THE STEEL CUT THROUGH THE HOTEL. BEFORE I NEVER SAW WHAT HAPPENED. I DIDNT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. NOW I KNOW THE TOWER CAME DOWN. TO ME IT LOOKS LIKE 100-150 FEET OF STEEL IS STICKING UP. BUT THERE ARE OTHER PIECES I COULD SEE WHERE THEY CUT RIGHT THROUGH THE HOTEL. IN MY OWN MIND, I THINK EVERYTHING WE GOT IN THAT WE WERE PROBABLY IN THAT AREA JUST THAT LITTLE AREA WHERE THE BEND IS FROM THERE WHERE THAT BEND IS THATS WHERE WE ARE.


Q: THATS THE PIECE THAT SURVIVED.


I THINK EVERYTHING SOUTH OF THAT IS GONE. MAYBE NOT BUT I THINK EVERYTHING SOUTH OF ME WAS COMPLETELY GONE AT THAT POINT.


Q: YEAH


I WALK ACROSS, I SEE THEM, THEN WALK UP.


Q: YOU'RE RIGHT THIS IS FURTHER BACK.


RIGHT.


Q: IT BENDS IN UNDER HERE WHERE THE WINTER GARDEN IS.


YEAH, IT BENDS IN UNDER THERE. WHEN IT BENDS IN TOWARDS THE WINTER GARDEN IS WHERE I COME IN OFF THE CURB AND THEN MOVE UP.


Q: I KNOW THEYVE GOT YOU ON VIDEOTAPE OVER HERE.


OKAY


Q: YOU WERE TALKING TO AL.


I DON'T KNOW WHO I TALKED TO. I KNOW KNOW WE WERE ALL IN MULTISHOCK. I DONT KNOW WHO TALKED.


Q: THEY'VE GOT YOU ON VIDEOTAPE HERE ON THE RIGHT ON THE PART. I SAW ON THIS CORNER, THEN YOU'RE SAYING YOU WENT UP THIS STREET, NOW GO THIS WAY, BECAUSE WHOEVER IT IS WHEN YOU GET HERE AND SAID, "THERE'S NO AMBULANCES HERE."


IT'S NOT A "BIG LONG CONVERSATION.
IT'S LIKE, "WHERE THE FUCK ARE THE AMBULANCES?"


Q: EXACTLY


THEY SAID, "TWO OR THREE BLOCKS NORTH." I SAID, "NO, I CANT WALK TWO OR THREE MORE BLOCKS" SO I GO HERE.


Q: BET YOU DONT GET 100 FEET UP HERE, WHEN THIS THING STARTS TO GO.


I DONT REALLY KNOW. IN MY OWN OPINION, I THOUGHT WHAT HAPPENED WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MADE ME SURVIVE THE SECOND ONE, WAS I GOT FAR ENOUGH THAT THIS BUILDING SHIELDED. THIS THE CORNER. I GOT JUST FAR ENOUGH UP THAT CORNER OF THAT BUILDING. I WAS SHIELDED FROM DEBRIS.
Q: YEAH OKAY.


ABOUT 100 FEET OVER HERE AFTER YOU SEE ME HERE. MAYBE 100 FEET FROM THERE, THAT'S WHEN I HEAR THAT NOISE. YOU DONT HAVE IT MARKED.


Q: HERE, BUT THERE'S A BUILDING HERE.


A BUILDING THERE. YEAH.


Q: THIS IS THE LOT. THERE'S A CHAIN LINK FENCE AND LOT. RIGHT,


THIS IS THE BUILDING. IT HAS A DELI HERE AND THE ENTRANCE TO THE BUILDING IS OVER HERE ON THE SIDE BY THE HARBOR THATS WHERE THE TRIAGE AREA IS.


CHIEF LAKIOTES: OKAY, THAT CONCLUDES THE INTERVIEW. IT IS APPROXIMATELY 1225 HOURS.


THANK YOU, BRIAN.

Christmas tree stories

I was just talking to one of my coworkers about various Christmas tree snafus over the years. When my wife and I first got married, my family had switched to using an artificial tree many years before. So we wanted to go back to getting a real tree. We had pretty hectic work schedules and finally went out on Christmas Eve to find a tree. In the middle of Queens, there weren't many places to find a tree in the first place. I think we got the last one on the lot, because it had bare spots in several places and made Charlie Brown's look like a giant sequoia. When we got it back to our apartment, I cut some branches off the fuller parts, dug holes into the truck in the bare spots and stuck the branches in. In order to hold ornaments, we actually had to use string to hold up the ends of those branches. Pretty sorry looking mess. We only had these small round ornaments that were dull, some lights and tinsel garland. Fast forward, once we had kids, we decided to go whole hog. We found tree lots on the sides of hills in the Santa Rosa Valley and went out with ax and saw to cut our own trees. Thought I was going to die traipsing up and down the hill to find a tree, cut it down, and drag it all the way back to the car. One year, after the kids were fairly grown, we went to a lot run by Boy Scouts or some other group. Picked out a great tree and they tied it to the roof. Drove down the freeway and watched the tree fly off into traffic and get ground into splinters and needles. Turned around and they gave us another, but stuffed it through the back window of the SUV instead. Had several Christmases when we had young pups who loved playing in the discarded wrapping paper. Particularly remember Bailey at Lisa's first apartment in Encino.

Uncle Bob's Liberty Trip to L.A.

The last time I saw Uncle Bob around 1999, we talked about me living on the West Coast.  He then related his story about the only time he'd been to Los Angeles.  It was during World War II and he was serving in the merchant marine.  They docked in San Pedro, probably to pick up war supplies to take to the Pacific theatre.  The crew were given liberty and they took the Red Car into Los Angeles.

Right away they headed for the bars on Broadway.  There were other sailors in town and in the particular bar that Uncle Bob picked, there was a sailor talking to a girl at the bar.  She obviously worked for the bar and was getting him to buy her overpriced drinks.  Uncle Bob noticed that in addition, the bartender was ripping the sailor off on his change.  Uncle Bob called him on it and that started a row.

The bouncer came after Uncle Bob, but after having grown up with four older brothers, Uncle Bob knew how to take care of himself.  Bob got a hold of the bouncer by his thumbs and bent them back.  The bouncer went down to his knees and couldn't do anything else.  Meanwhile someone had called the cops and they came in.  As they were taking everyone out, Bob accidentally stepped on the police captain's foot.  To make it worse, the captain had a corn on that foot, so it was pretty painful and he was pissed.  So Uncle Bob got to spend his only day in L.A. behind bars.  The next day, they sent him back to his ship.