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.
In the aftermath, thousands of first responders converged on the sites of destruction, climbing through mountains of smoking debris and rubble in a race to find survivors. Ultimately, 8 EMS providers and 343 firefighters died that day and countless more have succumbed to 9/11-related illnesses from their time working at Ground Zero.
Read the stories of survivors, as well as how lessons learned are impacting the way first responders of today train and respond to incidents. To share your 9/11 story, email editor@ems1.com.
Three of the FDNY’s leading responders on Sept. 11, 2001, reflect on how 9/11 impacted EMS and beyond
On the anniversary of the deadly terrorist attacks, the number of EMT and paramedic deaths should come to mind as quickly as “343 firefighters”
A new installation at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum explores the lasting impacts of the dust that blanketed New York in the wake of the terrorist attack
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. admitted it was a mistake to cut staff from the World Trade Center Health Program but stopped short of promising to fully restore staffing
Dr. John Howard has yet to be reinstated as head of the WTC Health Program, as many staff remain without jobs—“a shell game,” says FDNY Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Prezant
The Health and Human Services Department has decided not to terminate Dr. John Howard amid plans to lay off two-thirds of NIOSH staff, preserving leadership of the World Trade Center Health Program
Republicans and Democrats sounded the alarm over Kennedy’s plan to gut NIOSH, warning it could cripple the 9/11 health program that thousands of first responders and survivors rely on
Thousands of first responders and survivors rely on the WTC Health Program to get treatment related to injuries and illnesses caused by the toxins at Ground Zero
David Childs’ design of the 1,776-foot-tall skyscraper, once known as the Freedom Tower, is the centerpiece of the redevelopment of Ground Zero after the 9/11 attacks
The fund supports 137,000 people affected by toxic exposure from the attacks at the World Trade Center, as well as the plane crashes in Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon
Funding for the WTC Health Program is secured through 2027, but a federal resolution passed in December 2024 left its long-term financial future uncertain
Senators Schumer and Gillibrand stated the program serves at least 132,000 Americans impacted by the deadly terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001
The Uniformed Firefighters Association stated that the two members had served at Ground Zero
City attorneys are trying to have a FOIA case dismissed as survivors and victims’ families demand that air quality studies be released
The decision reinstates plea deals for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two others involved in the Sept. 11 terror attacks, sparing them the death penalty
Funding for the World Trade Center Health Program through 2040 was eliminated in the stopgap bill to fund the federal government
The agreement, previously nullified by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, would spare Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two co-defendants the risk of the death penalty
The monument in Keansburg is reportedly the first Sept. 11 memorial in the U.S. dedicated solely to EMS responders
The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation has set a goal to expand the number of states participating to 50 by 2025
Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are both expected to attend 9/11 observances in New York and Pennsylvania
Multiple mayoral administrations, including Eric Adams’, have withheld the documents, fearing their release could trigger a wave of lawsuits from first responders
The FDNY Fire Officers Association warns the WTC Health Program may stop accepting members by 2028
Hundreds gather at Clipper Magazine Stadium in Lancaster to climb 2,200 steps
Ceremonies remembering the fallen are led by the children and young adults born after the terror attacks
For the nearly 3,000 victims, we owe it to their memory to ensure their stories are not forgotten
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
Fairfax County Fire & Rescue works to ensure that the next generation of firefighters, EMTs and paramedics understand the legacy of 9/11’s fallen firefighters
The FDNY added the names of 32 firefighters and EMS personnel to the World Trade Center Memorial Wall
This special episode of Inside EMS explores the shift from reactive to preventative strategies in emergency services and the crucial role of technology and health initiatives
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