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.
In your life in EMS, or in the fire service, what is the worst event you can imagine?
As the former National Coordinator of Disaster Volunteers for the American Red Cross, Dr. Kelly B. Close was on the front lines of the emergency medical response following the 9/11 attacks in New York City
Advocates and lawmakers warn staffing shortages at the World Trade Center Health Program are causing treatment delays for sick 9/11 responders and survivors
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
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
Marking anniversaries, like 9/11, is important for honoring those experiences and carrying forward the lessons learned
Seeing the brave first responders on Sept. 11, 2001, showed me what I wanted to be when I grew up
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
Guidance for managing the emotions associated with the anniversaries of traumatic incidents
Ahead of the attacks’ 24th anniversary, the department engraved 39 newly fallen members, bringing post-9/11 illness losses to more than 400
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
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
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
For the nearly 3,000 victims, we owe it to their memory to ensure their stories are not forgotten
On the anniversary of the deadly terrorist attacks, the number of EMT and paramedic deaths should come to mind as quickly as “343 firefighters”
Honor the sacrifices and the legacy left by 9/11 responders by marking the anniversary with community service, education and self-care
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 has guided hundreds of funerals and every Ground Zero anniversary since 2001and will step down, closing 35 years of service
The 9/11 Memorial and Museum hiked executive pay to $850K amid big deficits and taxpayer aid, angering victims’ families
EMT Frederick Whiteside died in the line of duty in 2023 but has been excluded from the memorial weekend service for the last two years
The two-year Department of Investigation probe will require biannual updates on environmental health risks first responders and survivors faced after the 2001 attacks
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
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