story1468.xml
Title
story1468.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2002-08-26
911DA Story: Story
I arrived at my job at about 9:05am. When I started heading
for the office my partner ran up to me and said "Did you hear" I said "hear what" she replied "a plane struck one of the world trade center towers." With this I walked into the office and there on the tv was the God awful site of the first tower burning. I stated "ah it was probably a really bad accident." Thats when a co-worker stepped in and said "NY city has a no fly zone so its not an accident" Looking up at the tv screen I said "so you think its a what the f was that." The second plane hits and we sat in dismay saying things like "oh my God." I went outside to my unit where my partner was checking the ambulance for the day. I said to her "another plane just hit the other tower." She just shrugged it off (please realize we are in the rescue bussiness so not much surprises us) like it was no big deal. My company sent us on the road to do transports. We had a pick up at a nursing home and while my partner was getting the paper work I watched the tv in my pt room. Then it happened one of the towers collapsed. I ran to tell my partner and thats when it set in. "Oh my God" she replied
I had made several calls to my wife leaving messages on the answer machine cause she was alone. Finally she got through to my cell phone. There was panic in her voice and I stated "call your cousin right now and tell her to come to the house to sit with you" Her cousin lives around the corner and agreed my wife shouldnt be alone. As the day went on we began finding out more such as Pentagon and Penn.
flight crash. Fear and reality set in. As my wife and I would touch base alot that day the shock was just to much to believe. Around 12:30-1:00pm my dispatcher keys me up and says "base to 964" I replied "964 on go ahead base" 964 be advised you will meet up with the paramedic unit. You and paramedic______ wil be taking your ambulance into ground zero. We were excited not because of the tragedy but because we felt helpless on Long Island. I met up with my other partner. I told him I need to go home quick and get supplies. My wife was crying when I left that day. She was worried for my life and sad for those down there. On the way in the site was just unimaginable. We never made it down to ground zero. We were in Manhattan till about 8:00pm.
We returned to base and I was on my way home. On the radio came Tears In Heaven and I had to pull over and cry for it finally sank in my brothers and sisters (FDNY) had lost there lives today. When I got home my wife was happy to see me. Then I called my fire department knowing we have alot of guys in FDNY two people were unaccounted for. Well as days went on we found one guy and he was fine. As time went on we realized we lost a brother (Nicholos Chiafolo)a Lt of our local volunteer fire department.As the days went on so did the tears.......................
for the office my partner ran up to me and said "Did you hear" I said "hear what" she replied "a plane struck one of the world trade center towers." With this I walked into the office and there on the tv was the God awful site of the first tower burning. I stated "ah it was probably a really bad accident." Thats when a co-worker stepped in and said "NY city has a no fly zone so its not an accident" Looking up at the tv screen I said "so you think its a what the f was that." The second plane hits and we sat in dismay saying things like "oh my God." I went outside to my unit where my partner was checking the ambulance for the day. I said to her "another plane just hit the other tower." She just shrugged it off (please realize we are in the rescue bussiness so not much surprises us) like it was no big deal. My company sent us on the road to do transports. We had a pick up at a nursing home and while my partner was getting the paper work I watched the tv in my pt room. Then it happened one of the towers collapsed. I ran to tell my partner and thats when it set in. "Oh my God" she replied
I had made several calls to my wife leaving messages on the answer machine cause she was alone. Finally she got through to my cell phone. There was panic in her voice and I stated "call your cousin right now and tell her to come to the house to sit with you" Her cousin lives around the corner and agreed my wife shouldnt be alone. As the day went on we began finding out more such as Pentagon and Penn.
flight crash. Fear and reality set in. As my wife and I would touch base alot that day the shock was just to much to believe. Around 12:30-1:00pm my dispatcher keys me up and says "base to 964" I replied "964 on go ahead base" 964 be advised you will meet up with the paramedic unit. You and paramedic______ wil be taking your ambulance into ground zero. We were excited not because of the tragedy but because we felt helpless on Long Island. I met up with my other partner. I told him I need to go home quick and get supplies. My wife was crying when I left that day. She was worried for my life and sad for those down there. On the way in the site was just unimaginable. We never made it down to ground zero. We were in Manhattan till about 8:00pm.
We returned to base and I was on my way home. On the radio came Tears In Heaven and I had to pull over and cry for it finally sank in my brothers and sisters (FDNY) had lost there lives today. When I got home my wife was happy to see me. Then I called my fire department knowing we have alot of guys in FDNY two people were unaccounted for. Well as days went on we found one guy and he was fine. As time went on we realized we lost a brother (Nicholos Chiafolo)a Lt of our local volunteer fire department.As the days went on so did the tears.......................
Collection
Citation
“story1468.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed December 23, 2025, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/9356.