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.
Cebollero, Dudley and Ludwig discuss honoring the legacy of 9/11
The “Unmasking Our Heroes” exhibit and video share the stress and community support FDNY EMS personnel experienced in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic
It’s critical for our relationships and emotional health to gather with friends, family and colleagues to share successes, challenges and losses
Very few studies have been done specific to the EMS response to 9/11, and the results show EMS providers were exposed to the same hazards as other public safety personnel
The study also points to other chronic conditions like asthma, and comes as Congress debates extending the Zadroga Act, which funds health care for 9/11 responders
The official opening marked a symbolic return to some sense of normalcy for the site where the towers toppled
Inspired by his struggle with PTSD, it focuses on how EMTs cope with the job
White paint was used to deface the memorial to fallen first responders
The law, which funds treatment for workers sickened by the toxic fumes of Ground Zero, expires in 2016
Commissioner Daniel Nigro said their deaths are a painful reminder that 13 years later we continue to pay a terrible price for the department’s heroic efforts
The passengers and crew revolted against hijackers set on crashing into the White House or Capitol
The federal government can honor the responders killed on 9/11 by reauthorizing compensation for those who became ill after working at ground zero
Each time, he has tailored his message to the moment, at different points stressing themes of service, resilience, tolerance, reconciliation
The National Sept. 11 Memorial Museum was open for the first time on the anniversary
Elected officials want a 25 year-extension for the soon-to-expire fund to compensate responders who became ill working at ground zero
A Boston surgeon reflects on the importance of being ready and resilient
Applicants got advice on failing memory tests, feigning symptoms and described fears of planes and tall buildings to support PTSD claims
More than 2,500 Ground Zero responders are seeking compensation for cancer, up from 1,140 cases reported last year
“I honestly don’t think it’s appropriate — selling scarves to commercialize the deaths of 3,000 people” — Brooklyn state Sen. Martin Golden
Museum president: “You won’t walk out of this museum without a feeling that you understand humanity in a deeper way.”
The unidentified remains will be stored in a repository 70 feet underground; a group of victims’ family members protested the procession, saying they should be stored in an above-ground monument
The three parachutists say they simply walked through a hole in the site’s fence; a teenager was recently accused of doing the same thing
It will open May 15 for families, rescue personnel and others directly affected
A repercussion of this fraud will be extra scrutiny and delayed claims on those with legitimate problems related to 9/11
More than 100 cops, firefighters and other city workers faked mental disabilities in order get tens of thousands of dollars in Social Security benefits
A vivid book penned by his brother offers a personal and intimate account of Dr. John Pryor’s life, including responding to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks
Many younger EMS1 fans on Facebook were in school when 9/11 unfolded
For a New York City paramedic who had seen it all, the attacks on 9/11 changed everything
What one medic found among the rubble was the caring and courage of those who died on 9/11
The health effects from the inhalation of the airborne toxins and pollutants at Ground Zero began to manifest themselves in various forms in the years following 2001
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