GROUNDRISING ZERO: FROM REFLECTIONS ON 9/11 IN NYC, 20 YEARS LATER

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1 Rising from Ground Zero FROM THE EDITOR There are no words, even images, that can fully capture the EDITOR-IN-CHIEF devastation of September 11, 2001. Janelle Foskett [email protected] For those of us who were not on the scene that day, we can only imagine what it must have been like for first responders EXECUTIVE EDITOR to face 16 acres of horror at Ground Zero, to see a symbol of Marc Bashoor America’s military on fire, and to descend upon a Pennsylvania [email protected] field covered in pieces of an airliner. Those who did face these unimaginable scenes have graciously shared their unique SR. ASSOCIATE EDITOR insights – an inside look at how incident command unfolded at Rachel Engel the scene, the immediate work to support FDNY, and how the [email protected] tragedy changed the survivors forever. It is through their eyes that we reflect on the 20th anniversary of September 11, 2001. EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Greg Friese This publication focuses on personal reflections from the New [email protected] York City response; additional special coverage of response efforts to the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pa., can be found at VP OF CONTENT firerescue1.com/Sept11-20years. Jon Hughes [email protected] We remember and honor the lives lost at the Pentagon, aboard Flight 93 and in City, including the 343 firefighters GRAPHIC DESIGN killed on 9/11 and the hundreds who have since lost their lives to Ariel Shumar WTC-related illness. [email protected]

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Janelle Foskett Editor-in-Chief, FireRescue1.com

CONTENTS 4 ‘A command structure was emerging from the rubble’: Incident command on 9/11 and beyond By Chief Joseph Pfeifer 10 ‘We needed to do more’: The evolution of support in the aftermath of tragedy By Chief Ron Siarnicki 16 ‘I needed to make a difference’: My post-9/11 career shift By Chief Michael Buckheit

Find more 9/11 personal reflections atfirerescue1.com/Sept11-20years .

Rising from Ground Zero 2 The advanced network and technology for first responders

To all those on the front lines, we thank you for your service.

3 Rising from Ground Zero A COMMAND STRUCTURE WAS EMERGING FROM THE RUBBLE INCIDENT COMMAND ON 9/11 AND BEYOND

Rising from Ground Zero 4 (AP Photo/Graham Morrison) The Ground Zero operation led to advances in incident management that continue to evolve for today’s complex and extreme events

By Joseph Pfeifer largest and most dangerous fire of our lives with 20,000 people in desperate need. On the anniversary of 9/11, firefighters worldwide stand at attention and render a respectful salute. I picked up the radio and told the dispatcher, “We We pause to remember each significant moment just had a plane crash into the upper floors of the when terrorists used four commercial airlines World Trade Center. Transmit a second alarm and as missiles, and the ensuing collapse of both start relocating companies into the area.” 110-story World Trade Center (WTC) towers. From years of experience, I knew I had to give a For me, each anniversary brings me back to the concise report. But knowing that I would be the WTC site, where reflective pools represent the first chief to take command at the scene, dozens Twin Towers’ footprints, with the names engraved of thoughts were streaming through my head. I of all the victims. I solemnly stand in my dress had to slow my thinking and create a “deliberate uniform, recalling what I was doing that fateful calm” to consider what I needed to do next to day and the many faces of first responders who take command of the largest fire in FDNY history. reported to me in the North Tower. In about 60 seconds, I radioed dispatch again Memories from the day and said, “We have a number of floors on fire. It looked like the plane was aiming for the building. That morning I could not imagine that responding Transmit a third alarm.” I then gave specific to an odor of gas in the streets of lower instructions on what I wanted these units to do. would be the last time anything would Key to my decision-making during the initial resemble routine. shock of this extreme event was to take a At 8:46 a.m., I moment to think and heard the roar of frame the incident. In jet engines and my message, I was watched a passenger telling units that this plane intentionally was not an accident crash into the North but a terrorist attack. Tower. As the plane disintegrated inside What I did not the building, a massive understand at that fireball erupted, moment was how followed by an the situation would unforgettable boom. continue to evolve over those 102 Firefighters jumped minutes, including a on their rigs as I second ordered them to “go plane smashing into to the Trade Center.” the WTC, this time the We were going to the The WTC four-quadrant sector map for command and control. South Tower.

5 Rising from Ground Zero Later, in the middle of our rescue and evacuation Other chiefs took command of each of the four efforts, we heard inconceivable loud rumbling distinct physical sectors caused by the collapse. sounds. In seconds, the lobby of the North Tower Many of us recognized the voices of these chiefs went completely black. Without knowing that the and trusted in their leadership. A command South Tower collapsed, I quickly ordered all units structure was emerging from the rubble. It was to evacuate the North Tower, which collapsed 29 not a pretty org-chart, but there were people to minutes later. rescue, voids to search, and fires to extinguish. The unthinkable was our command challenge. Having barely survived, we stood at the edge of the rubble pile with our fire helmets and gear Evolving command covered in thick gray dust. The death toll was too Over the next week, we established an incident much to imagine. Our senior command chiefs command post at the quarters of Engine 10 and were killed, and the next in line were injured. Ladder 10, which was located directly across the I wondered, “How do we build a command street from the South Tower. While the building structure for such unthinkable destruction?” was damaged, it was still intact. We followed the Incident Command System and formally assigned Little by little, deputy chiefs began to take chiefs to the command and section positions. command as those of us who survived, responding units and off-duty firefighters I became the Planning Chief. One daunting gathered on the pile of twisted steel and task was to make sure there was situational crumbled concrete. awareness about the 16-acre collapse area. Our Geographical Information System (GIS) From the top of a burnt fire truck, a chief asked Unit provided a one-page grid map of the site, for a moment of silence for the many lives lost. dividing it into four quadrants with the footprints From this moment of crisis empathy, he of where the buildings once stood. We gave this re-established command. map to every agency working at what would

become known as Ground Zero.

‘Ordinary Heroes: A Memoir of 9/11’

This article is adapted from “Ordinary Heroes: A Memoir of 9/11” by Joseph Pfeifer in agreement with Portfolio, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC © Joseph Pfeifer, 2021. Through Chief Pfeifer’s eyes, we see the horror of the attacks and the courage of the firefighters who ran into the burning towers to save others. We walk with him and his fellow firefighters through weeks of rescue efforts and months of numbing grief as they wrestle with the real meaning of heroism and leadership.

Learn more and order “Ordinary Heroes” here.

Rising from Ground Zero 6 One outcome of 9/11 was the creation of the FDNY EOCs to manage large-scale events. (Photo/FDNY)

A week later, we moved the command post a Southwest Incident Management Team (IMT) that half-dozen blocks away to a large three-story came to to assist us. The IMT’s firehouse on Duane Street, my firehouse. Half Planning Chief came up to me and said, “Chief, of the firehouse quartered Engine 7, Ladder 1 I am from the Forestry’s IMT, and I am here to and Battalion 1. The other half was now the WTC help you.” I looked at him and silently wondered: command post with the apparatus floor as a huge “You’re from the Forestry? The WTC has only one interagency meeting space and the second floor surviving tree. How can you help?” I’m sure my for the command and section chiefs. skepticism was obvious. How could managing wildfires translate to an urban disaster? Coordinated efforts, IMTs and support He went on to say, “Chief, I know how hard you According to New York City executive orders, have been working, and it looks like you can use FDNY would be the incident commander at some help. I can assist you in putting together an a collapse. We had to coordinate operations Incident Action Plan (IAP) and manage the other among FDNY, NYPD, the Medical Examiner, planning functions. We’re not going to take over National Guard, USAR teams, FEMA, construction anything.” He convinced me with his knowledge companies and many other organizations. and empathy. I quickly put the Southwest IMT to I needed help in my expanding role as Planning work on the third floor of our command post and Chief – and I got it. One day, standing in front of wrote the first WTC-IAP with their assistance. the firehouse, I got an unexpected visit from the

7 Rising from Ground Zero The IAP accomplishes three critical aspects of incident command: People 1. Shared situational awareness Virtual IMT 2. Resource management 3. Operational diversity and inclusion. Platform Proficiency Network Portfolio Ground Zero was a hazardous site with potential NIMS & Incident EOC’s ICP further collapse, open holes, burning fires, Digital Tools Management toxic dust, and the operation of 27 cranes. The priority was the safety of all working at the site. We coordinated the efforts of diverse groups of Plans responders through daily interagency meetings IAPs and Incident Action Plans, which made everyone Dashboards feel included. We exchanged vital information about search and rescue. By doing so, we discovered the need to remove millions of The five Ps of Network Incident Management: Crisis dollars’ worth of silver hidden in a void below and leaders need to connect to a portfolio of EOCs for to drive steel rods into bedrock to reinforce walls collaboration and coordination in real-time. This requires a shared platform for Network Incident that held back water from the . Management in addition to any in-person meetings.

Improving future responses The IMTs from the Southwest, and later Pacific Incident Management in addition to any Northwest and Alaska, were as indispensable in-person meetings. as the USAR teams brought in to assist FDNY in managing this disaster, which claimed the lives of The 20th anniversary of 9/11, coupled with the 2,753 people, including 343 members of FDNY. ongoing challenges of COVID-19, provide us We valued the IMTs as an essential element with an opportunity to reflect on the past so we of command. In our After-Action Review (AAR) can imagine a better command system to deal conducted by McKinsey & Company, I made sure with future extreme events. NIMS, IMTs and that one of the recommendations was to create EOCs are integral parts of taking command. an “Urban IMT.” We later developed an FDNY Proficiency in incident management depends IMT and utilized them at many major events, on highly skilled people. from Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy to COVID-19 response and vaccinations. Virtual IMT, the third generation of IMTs The evolution of IMTs has expanded the original Another outcome of 9/11 was the creation of the concept of wildfire IMT to post-9/11 Urban IMT FDNY Emergency Operations Centers (EOC) to and, more recently, to Virtual IMT for COVID manage large-scale events. EOCs are also at response. This third generation of IMTs will the federal, state, local, tribal and territory levels. be composed of a specially trained IMT that Even the private sector, like financial institutions will operate in a virtual world. Its members and hospitals, sees a need for an EOC to manage will have experience and knowledge in the crises from cyberattacks to pandemics. Crisis National Incident Management System (NIMS), leaders need to connect to a portfolio of EOCs online platforms such as Homeland Security for collaboration and coordination in real-time. Information Network (HSIN), state platforms like This requires a shared platform for Network

Rising from Ground Zero 8 Each anniversary brings me back to the WTC site, where reflective pools represent the Twin Towers’ footprints, with the names engraved of all the victims. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

NY-Responds, as well as GIS and other incident The key: Working together management programs. The vision is for each Today, we look to a new generation of state or regional area to form a Virtual IMT that crisis leaders to inspire us to unify efforts to can be deployed online to support EOCs and the solve complex problems in the face of great Incident Command Post (ICP) in a broad range tragedy, whether terrorism, violent extremism, of incidents. climate change, natural disaster, pandemics, cyberattacks, industrial accidents or other Often local EOCs do not have the surge significant events. Only by working together capacity to manage extreme events or sufficient as we did after 9/11 can we develop the personnel to sustain incident management for a tools and skills for commanding at the next prolonged period. Adding to the problem is the extreme event. lack of competency in sophisticated and rarely used computer programs. The Virtual IMT or “geek squad” will gather information through About the Author voice, video and data from critical sectors to form situational awareness reports, resource FDNY Assistant Chief Joseph W. Pfeifer was the first tracking, operational IAPs, logistical requests chief at the World Trade Center attack on September 11, and administration tasks. Lengthy plans will be 2001. After 9/11, Chief Pfeifer worked as a strategic leader condensed into digital dashboards for decision- assessing the Department’s response performance, identified new budget and policy priorities, helped makers. Collaboration and coordination would overhaul management practices, created partnerships to take place online, which we have seen with supplement the Department’s existing competencies with COVID. Like the traditional IMT, Virtual IMT new expertise, shaped new technologies for emergency members will support incident management. response and developed the FDNY’s first Strategic Plan, Terrorism Preparedness Strategy, and Continuity of Operations Plan. Pfeifer was the founding director of the Imagine the early days of the pandemic and FDNY’s Center for Terrorism and Disaster Preparedness, how valuable it would have been for hospitals and ultimately retired from the department as the Chief to be networked for the availability of ICU beds, of Counterterrorism and Emergency Preparedness. He is PPE, ventilators and staffing. A digital platform a Senior Fellow for Crisis Leadership at the Harvard and a Virtual IMT could be a game-changer Kennedy School and the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point. Pfeifer is also the Director of Crisis for coordinating efforts across public and Leadership at Columbia University. private sectors.

9 Rising from Ground Zero WE NEEDED “TO DO MORE THE EVOLUTION OF SUPPORT IN THE AFTERMATH OF TRAGEDY

A 40-foot-tall bronze monument, named “To Lift a Nation,” was created by sculptor Stan Watts to honor the firefighters who died on September 11, 2001. The monument recreates the famous photo taken by Thomas E. Franklin, a photographer for the Bergen Record, who captured the image of three firefighters raising the American flag at Ground Zero. Along with the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial, the statue is located on the campus of the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, Maryland. (Photos/NFFF)

Rising from Ground Zero 10 for our country. And I knew instinctively that the How the NFFF sprang into firefighters were going to do everything they action to serve New York City could in New York and in Washington to protect firefighters – and ultimately lives and property. And then, as we were watching the TV, the first grew its mission tower fell. At that moment, I knew that there were firefighters in that building – firefighters who had been killed. By Ron Siarnicki As we watched the Pentagon burn, I remember I started working at the National Fallen getting text messages that they were looking for Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) on July 1, 2001, ladder trucks and other equipment to be able to just two months before September 11. I had get inside the inner circle of the Pentagon to try recently retired as fire chief from Prince George’s to provide for rescues. County (Maryland) and was looking forward to serving the Foundation. All of it brought back all those memories of the Council of Governments discussions that the When I started with the Foundation, our offices fire chiefs in the metropolitan region had about were in Emmitsburg, Maryland, on the campus of mutual aid, and the need to share resources and the National Fire Academy (NFA). I was driving share information and deal with catastrophic from Kent Island to Emmitsburg, each day back events. I’m familiar with disaster activities but and forth, two hours one way. never had I imagined the level of 9/11.

On September 11, I got in early. I got situated, kind The NFFF’s role of like how the day starts at a firehouse – you get a cup of coffee, and you start talking with As I watched the second tower fall, I knew that the staff. this moment signified even more firefighters who were not coming out. I said to my staff that Our main office was an old conference room we need to be prepared for mass casualties of on the campus that was used for some of the firefighters, and we need to be looking at what management meetings. There was a TV, and the we should be doing relative to the next memorial news was on. And sure enough, the story broke service because that was really the focus we that a plane had hit one of the Twin Towers in had each year. New York City. I had lunch in the NFA’s dining hall that day. Ken At first, everybody thought it was an aviation Burris, the COO of the U.S. Fire Administration accident, that something went awry. Then the (USFA), was there, too. I told him that we were second plane hit. Immediately, everyone in that putting together plans on how to deal with room, the five of us who were there, realized that the large number of firefighter deaths for the this was not an accident, but an intentional attack. Memorial Weekend in October. The news then broke about the Pentagon, and later about another plane in Pennsylvania. I was That evening, Ken was on a plane to New York just sitting there, watching all of this unfold. with FEMA Administrator Joe Allbaugh. And as the discussion turned to the fallen firefighters, The memory is like a recurring dream for me. Ken told Joe that we had discussed the It’s very vivid. Foundation putting together plans to assist the FDNY and families downstream. Joe looked at I remember that room and that TV and that Ken and said, “This isn’t downstream, I want them image, and just thinking that it was a tragic day here – now.”

11 Rising from Ground Zero The Sheraton Towers Hotel in New York served as the NFFF Command Post.

Ken called me and told me to put a team together department to ask if he knew anyone at the Bank to come to New York the next day. I thought of America, which was headquartered in his city. to myself, “How do I make this happen?” So, I explained what I needed, and within a couple I did what any fire chief would do: look at the of hours, the NFFF credit card had an unlimited resources available. I contacted the local fire credit line. Luther knew the Bank of America departments – Prince George’s, Montgomery, president, and it only took one call to make this Fairfax, Alexandria and Prince William. All happen – another example of the power that fire the chiefs that I knew from the Council of service relationships have for all of us to get our Governments. I told them that the Foundation has jobs completed. been deployed to New York, and I need help. I need some bodies. I need some vehicles. Every A couple of days after our arrival, we were added single chief offered support. to the FEMA organizational chart as a family assistance unit. We began to provide support We convened on September 12, got everybody and assistance working with the International organized in a convoy, and drove to New York. Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) and other That’s how that happened. That’s when it began groups to provide support for the FDNY. – a relationship that still exists to this day. Growth out of 9/11 When we arrived in New York, the only resources When I joined the Foundation in 2001, there was we had was an NFFF credit card that had just a staff of five working out of one room. Much a $5,000 limit. I knew that there would be of our work included a scholarship program, resources made available later, but that was all the Memorial Weekend and the Taking Care of we had to go with then. I also knew that we would Our Own program, which was funded by the spend that amount quickly, so again I reached Department of Justice to help fire departments out to Chief Luther Fincher of the Charlotte Fire prepare for and deal with a line-of duty-death.

Rising from Ground Zero 12 When 9/11 happened, we knew we needed to do funding sources for a robust campaign with the more, obviously. The interesting piece that drove 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives to decrease that was with the 343 firefighters who died that the number of firefighter fatalities that occur in day in New York, plus the other 99 who died in our country each year. that year from other fire service activities. We were faced with literally not having enough Today’s NFFF room for the names of the fallen firefighters at I could not have imagined then, where we are the memorial. now. And I think about that from time to time, the amount of growth and expansion and addition of The first call was to build a bigger memorial. And programs and services that have occurred. while we did add space for more names, another discussion arose – that maybe we ought to be Truly, I think the NFFF’s growth catapulted focusing more on preventing firefighter line-of- because of 9/11. I have to say that our corporate duty deaths and doing everything we can to partners stepped up to the plate to provide the lessen the impact on families from the traumatic funding for our programs. We are an entity that loss of a firefighter. was created by Congress, but we’re not funded directly through the federal budget. We do have Those discussions were really the catalyst for to apply for grants, and we apply for cooperative the Everyone Goes Home program, along with agreements. We have to do a lot of fundraising the whole line-of-duty death prevention activities activities, whether it’s the 9/11 stair climbs, golf that we include in our fire programs today. They tournaments or corporate partnerships. also led directly to establishing some outside

Buses shuttle firefighter families to a Memorial Service in Washington, D.C., in 2002. Uniformed personnel formed a Sea of Blue along the route to the Memorial Service.

13 Rising from Ground Zero LOSING CHIEF GANCI

I often think about the last time I saw that he was in the building – and that FDNY Chief Peter Ganci. It was in August he was gone. 2001. I was attending Fire-Rescue International, the annual conference of the I remember that time we spent together. International Association of Fire Chiefs, in It’s very special to me. It’s a reminder to New Orleans. Pete was there by himself, me that life is short. You never know what’s and I was there by myself, so we kind of around the next corner. And you’ve got to hung out a little bit together. make the most of what you got when you get it. Pete knew that. He had a lot of great After one of the events, we went to have a wisdom and a lot of ideas on where he beverage, just to sit down and catch up. We wanted to see the department go. He was talked about family, we talked about work, really in the prime of his career. and we talked about where things were Unfortunately, there were other plans. going in our departments. We even talked a little bit about where we were going in our And that’s what we see in our work with the careers, where things are going next. Just Foundation. The firefighter doesn’t say that two fire guys sharing ideas and thoughts. “I’m about to go to work today and it could be my last day.” They know that there’s a danger. A month later, I’m watching the towers fall They know there’s a risk. But they’re hoping and wondering where Pete is. Is he affected? that everybody goes home at the end of the Is he outside the building or in a command day – and that’s the reality of our business. It post in the lobby? I’m thinking to myself, he’s is a dangerous profession. It’s an industry that probably right in the middle of things, as has the need for best practices and strategies the chief would want to be there to ensure and tactics. That’s why the NFFF exists, and the well-being of his people and to make our mission to honor the fallen and prevent sure that the circumstances are addressed. I future line of duty tragedies will continue, in was worried that he could have been in that memory of our heroes. collapse and, unfortunately, I found out later

Rising from Ground Zero 14 The National Fallen Firefighters Memorial includes plaques that honor the firefighters killed on 9/11 as well as those who later died from illness associated with the 9/11 rescue and recovery effort.

Shortly after 9/11, some fire chiefs in Japan Ongoing support reached out to us early on and said they wanted Twenty years after 9/11, the NFFF is still to do something to help. They provided some of supporting the FDNY though its Peer Support the financial support to help us do some of the Program at the Counseling Services Unit, plus initial programs that were needed to help the programs provided to the department through FDNY, and to develop the programs that continue our support of the FDNY Foundation. We have to help other departments across the country. been here since the beginning and will continue to be here in support of the FDNY for as We took the lessons learned from 9/11 and other long as they need us, just like we do with major firefighter line-of-duty death incidents to every department that loses a fire hero in the fine tune our major group deployments, along line of duty. with our individual responses. We have found efficient ways to help those fire departments recover quicker and, most importantly, to help About the Author the Fire Hero Families get to a better place, whatever that new level of normalcy might be. Fire Chief Ronald Jon Siarnicki began his fire service career with the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department in We have a phenomenal team here at the 1978, and progressed through the ranks to chief. In July Foundation. We have a group of people, some 2001, Chief Siarnicki retired from the Prince George’s from the fire service, some not. Each one of our County Fire/EMS Department to take the position of executive director of the National Fallen Firefighters team members works hard each day, because Foundation (NFFF) where he still serves today. they’re committed to the mission and purpose, which is to honor every firefighter that dies in line of duty, help those families rebuild their lives and, if possible, prevent death or injury from occurring. I’m blessed with the team that we have.

15 Rising from Ground Zero I NEEDEDTO MAKE A DIFFERENCE A NEW CALLING, POST-9/11

The New York City “ II” crosses beneath the lower Manhattan skyline. The fireboat is a 140-foot, 500-ton, $27-million vessel, with a maximum speed of 18 knots and the capability of pumping 50,000 gallons of water per minute. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

Rising from Ground Zero 16 outward. An act of terrorism forever changed Moving to Marine Operations how we would view our role and respond. helped me stay engaged, Preparedness for large-scale events was the priority. Our well-oiled machine suddenly needed process the day and build a to be expanded, retooled, and capable of addressing “all hazards” in a new and dynamic fleet capable of protecting world to include acts of terrorism. New York City Combating Terrorism Center In February 2003, FDNY partnered with West By Michael Buckheit Point to roll out the Combating Terrorism Center. By this time, I was a newly promoted captain, It’s been 20 years, hard to believe. and I applied to attend the Counterterrorism Leadership Program. To be honest, I didn’t think I Have we forgotten? No! We haven’t forgotten. stood a chance at being selected. It was the first For those of us who lived through the events of such program being offered. I was a little fish in a that day, regardless of your career, we all know big pond, but I wanted to be part of it. exactly where we were and what we were doing. I’m sure those thoughts are running through My previous employment had been with your mind right now. Brookhaven National Laboratory Police, charged with protecting the scientific I’m not alone. We all, in some way, re-evaluated community, plus the site’s High Flux Beam life after 9/11. The love of country was palpable, Reactor. Prior to that, I had been a part of the yet we all felt a sense of loss, a need to find a first armed nuclear security team at Shoreham path forward. For me personally, I felt a drive to Nuclear Power Station in New York. somehow, in my small way, make a difference. These previous jobs created quite a resume No longer our small world apparently, and I was fortunate enough to be Twenty years ago, I was an FDNY lieutenant selected as one of just over 30 people to be a in Manhattan. My world revolved around the part of the Counterterrorism Leadership members of my firehouse. Senior members Program. Little did I know that it was this helped in all aspects of daily firehouse life. We opportunity that would change my path responded together, looked out for each other, forward to a completely different aspect of and did our best to protect the citizens of FDNY preparedness and response. New York City. New vulnerability When it came to support services, most aspects One of several potential projects we had to were handled by the many and varied civilian choose from as part of the course was Harbor employees of FDNY. If a piece of equipment Security. It intrigued me. I often heard people broke, simply request a new one. If the firehouse say right after 9/11, “Who would have thought needed repairs, send a repair request. And they would have used planes as bombs?” I recall after well over a century at work, this process thinking of the Kamikaze pilots, in essence, a had become a well-oiled machine. We had the smart bomb of sorts – simple but effective. personnel, tools, equipment and staff to do almost anything. Air travel changed forever after 9/11, but would harbor security? On September 11, 2001, the world changed. A devastating hit, we were rocked. The firehouse Great cities throughout history have been built on was no longer our small world. We began to look accessible harbors. Was that now our weakness?

17 Rising from Ground Zero Twenty years ago, I was an FDNY lieutenant in Manhattan. My world revolved around the members of my firehouse and the community we served. (Photo/Laura Yanes Photography)

Rising from Ground Zero 18 “Fire Fighter” served the FDNY from 1938 through 2010, fighting more than 50 major fires in her career, including the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. “Fire Fighter” is now operated by a volunteer group that preserves the fireboat as a museum ship. (Photo/Laura Yanes Photography)

Our ports are critical infrastructure, the lifeline for former glory. The personnel, while dedicated, goods to keep this nation supplied. “Never Fight were left with antiquated equipment and had the Last War” was a phrase I always remember become almost irrelevant. from the class. We needed to stay one step ahead and consider how to protect our ports. Promotion to battalion chief pending, I wouldn’t Marine Operations began looking at how the be assigned in a firehouse; I’d be a covering military stayed adapted to different environments chief. What’s more, I needed a project. I needed as a guide for how it could be “Fast, Powerful and to make a difference. From a personal standpoint, Agile” in its protection of the waterfront. that’s how I felt I could honor those that we lost on 9/11. Everyone has their own way; this Career shift was mine. I was honored to have worked alongside some I started inquiring about some roles that were a amazing folks in that course – people who bit out of the box. I wanted a challenge. I spoke worked tirelessly to plan and rebuild so the with someone at Hazmat Operations, but I had department could be resilient and flexible. a relative there and thought perhaps it was too close. My relative mentioned Marine Operations Our working group put forth a report that was and how Chief James Dalton was up to his reviewed and embraced by FDNY leadership. elbows in alligators trying to rebuild the unit. FDNY Marine Operations was a shadow of its

19 Rising from Ground Zero FDNY’s four in active service include , which features the Harbor’s inter-agency command and control platform; Feehan; Fire Fighter II; and . (Photos/FDNY)

I reflected on the project with West Point. Harbor learned. Our facilities had gone beyond their security for FDNY Marine Ops was a part of the respective usefulness and were in disrepair. We job that many knew little about, and what they couldn’t haul a boat at an FDNY facility. We only did know was that when Marine was requested, had diesel fuel available (and a limited amount) at it seemed they would never get there. Through our facility and no gasoline for the smaller boats. no fault of the members of Marine Ops, the Hauling boats required us to go to an oil facility entire Division was a lesson in failure to adapt “down the block” at high tide only. We could only to a new and changing environment. The haul our small craft, many of which were hand- harbor had moved from bulk goods storage and me-downs from other agencies in ill repair. For manufacturing to a fast-paced, containerized and our one mid-size boat, we would rely on marinas recreational port. when available to provide the haul out.

Rebuilding the unit We had a long path ahead – the longest journey begins with but a single step. Step 1: Start with As a newly assigned battalion chief, I was the foundation, then build the house. assigned to the Marine Battalion – a battalion of one. I worked with Chief Dalton, a lieutenant We needed a starting point. We knew we couldn’t executive officer and a small support staff. do it alone. The Port is a close-knit community, and we needed to become a much greater Two large platform fireboats were in design player in port partnerships. Together with partner stage, and a committee had traveled near and far agencies, we are all capable of far greater to glean information from other fire departments accomplishments – MISSION FIRST! and incorporate best practices and lessons

Rising from Ground Zero 20 Ideas are wonderful, but without funding, School to write a “Marine Operations Strategic they sit idle on a desk. We needed to define Plan.” We jumped at the opportunity. How could who we were, why it’s a critical component we expect support and funding when we hadn’t of FDNY’s mission while also laying out a a clear path forward? It was our responsibly to strategy and identifying funds. All of this define Marine Operations, why we mattered while simultaneously trying to run a Division and how we planned to be a part of a much and Battalion responsible for responding to greater role in the safety and security of our port approximately 560 miles of coastline and community going forward. countless high-value critical structures. Looking back The U.S. Coast Guard’s Area Maritime Security I’m retired now. I still keep in touch with several Committee turned out to be a major step in folks within FDNY Marine Operations. I speak the right direction. As the Federal On-Scene often with the current chief of Marine Operations, Coordinator, they are a key player in all aspects Chief Frank Simpson, and the Marine Battalion of our responses. The USCG does a fantastic Commander, Chief Joe Abbamonte. To say I’m job at helping to identify available assets and proud of them for continuing to evolve, lead leveraging those assets to meet the challenge from the front, and influence positive change at hand. is quite an understatement. I feel like a proud parent when I look at Marine Operations. The FDNY was both honored and proud to The tremendous amount of work put forth by have joined this team and to work alongside countless folks of all ranks and within our civilian all our Port of New York and support services was Herculean. partners. It was this partnership that allowed FDNY to be intimately involved in building a I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the members more “Fast, Powerful and Agile” fleet to meet of FDNY Marine. Change is difficult, the many the ever-changing needs of the port. Port and varied projects unfortunately didn’t allow Security Grant dollars allowed ideas and solid us to communicate with the boots on the deck planning to become real, actionable and members as we would have liked to, and as we measurable successes. The value of the Port should have. I regret that. At the end of the day, Security Grant Program (PSGP) to the overall it was our members who made these changes protection of the Port of New York and New possible for Marine Operations. Boats and Jersey is immeasurable. buildings are just boats and buildings. The most important change was our members embracing Marine Operations today consists of a tiered change in order to better serve those whom we vessel response matrix, a fully equipped and are charged to protect. functional maintenance shop, a 50-metric ton travel lift and finger piers for haul-outs, a negative forklift, a vessel repair building, new firehouses About the Author for Marine 1 and Marine 9, new vessel berthing facilities for Marine 1, 6 and 9, a shipboard Battalion Chief Michael J. Buckheit retired from the simulator and damage control simulator, and FDNY as Chief of Marine Operations, having served the members trained as Marine Firefighters. Department for 31 years. Chief Buckheit began his fire service career in 1988 as a firefighter working in Engine Company 72, then transferred to Ladder 19. He later Put it on paper served as a lieutenant in Engine 37 and a captain of Through FDNY’s Center for Terrorism and Engine 63. Buckheit was then promoted to battalion chief Disaster Preparedness, we were invited to and assigned to the Marine Battalion. He was later named Marine Battalion Commander and ultimately Chief of partner with students from the Harvard Business Marine Operations.

21 Rising from Ground Zero ABOUT THE SPONSOR Verizon has nearly 30 years of experience partnering with public safety agencies, and when lives are at stake, those on the front lines need a network that’s built right. That’s why we created Verizon Frontline the advanced network and technology for first responders.

SPECIAL EVENTS TO MARK 20 YEARS COMBATING TERRORISM CENTER Detailing how fire departments and fire service West Point’s Combat Terrorism Center equips organizations will mark the most tragic day in fire leaders with the tools to understand the service history and honor the 343 challenges of terrorism and counterterrorism

NFFF PROGRAMS & RESOURCES FDNY MARINE OPERATIONS STRATEGY Learn about Fire Hero family programs and fire Outlining the department’s post-9/11 vision for service programs, and find resources related to protecting New York City’s waterfront, including 9/11 memorial events an enhanced fleet and training for new members

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Rising from Ground Zero 22 Find additional coverage of the 20th anniversary of September 11 at firerescue1.com/Sept11-20years

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23 Rising from Ground Zero