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.
Thousands of first responders answered the call that day to search for survivors amid the rubble, smoke and debris, with 343 firefighters ultimately perishing in the collapse of the Twin Towers and countless more succumbing to 9/11-related illnesses from working at Ground Zero.
Use this resource page to learn about developments in healthcare protections for 9/11 first responders, read the experiences of those who were there and reflect on those who left a legacy behind.
To share your 9/11 story, please email editor@firerescue1.com.
From the FireRescue1 Team
Firsthand perspectives show how 9/11 continues to shape the fire service — and why these stories still matter
FDNY Chief of Department John Esposito recounts FDNY’s devastating losses, the decisions that saved thousands of lives and why honoring 9/11 means preparing the next generation to meet the moment
Twenty-five years after the attacks, Esposito reflects on sacrifice, resilience and the changes that reshaped emergency response — and challenges today’s responders to live up to the standard set by those who served
The job is not to prepare for another 9/11. It is to prepare firefighters for the next call
Fire service veterans reflect on the losses, lessons and how the profession changed after the 2001 attacks
Ohio Task Force 1 responders reflect on the attack that reshaped technical rescue and national preparedness
They searched for survivors, handled remains, supplied emergency equipment and kept the city’s jails operating. Twenty-five years later, their story is still being told.
Narrated by Gary Sinise, the film features firsthand accounts from officers, firefighters and EMS providers who responded on one of the nation’s darkest days
A six-part documentary series captures command operations, search efforts and the people behind the response
9/11 News
The bipartisan measure would seek an estimated $3.1 billion from FEMA for pension payments tied to 9/11-related deaths and disabilities among firefighters, police officers and other public employees
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed has been held at Guantanamo Bay for two decades, with legal battles over torture and evidence continuing as a military trial is now set for 2028
About half of U.S. adults rank the Sept. 11 attacks among the most important events of their lifetimes, while younger Americans are more likely to point to COVID-19
At least 40 states address 9/11 through education standards, laws or school observances, but what students learn about the attacks and their aftermath varies widely
Northwell Health says more than 57,000 WTC Health Program members have battled cancer, with diagnoses expected to increase as responders and survivors age
A quarter century after the Sept. 11 attacks, Americans remember and understand 9/11 differently based on age, personal experience and the events that followed
Additional insights and news updates
After decades of work in the firefighter counseling space, Leto shares what he’s learned about resilience, relationships and the healing power of doing good
Chief Freddie LaFemina recalls the unimaginable scene at Ground Zero and the relentless work to find his brother firefighters
Shanksville Chief Terry Shaffer reflects on how his family is inextricably linked to the tragedy – and how they continue to honor the victims and the community
First responders and others who worked at Ground Zero reflect on the trauma, health effects, loss and moments of humanity that have stayed with them for 25 years
Firefighters who remember 9/11 and those born afterward reflect on how the sacrifice of 343 FDNY members influenced their decision to join the fire service
Former FDNY Chief Dispatcher Lloyd Moskowitz recalls sending crews to the World Trade Center, answering calls from trapped victims and learning 343 firefighters never returned
John G. Chipura served as a Marine and NYPD detective before joining the FDNY and dying while responding to the World Trade Center on 9/11
Americans are commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks with memorial ceremonies, moments of silence, tributes to first responders and volunteer projects nationwide
Hosted by Steve Buscemi, FDNY Lt. Dennis Gordon and Marian Fontana, the podcast’s first show features former FDNY Commissioner Dan Nigro
How FDNY leaders managing an unprecedented long-term operation learned to trust outside support from the Southwest Incident Management Team — “the tree people”
FDNY honored the 343 members killed on 9/11 and 453 more who have since died from World Trade Center-related cancers and respiratory illnesses
The 9/11 Memorial & Museum is adding a permanent seventh moment of silence to honor first responders, recovery workers and survivors who died from 9/11-related illnesses
Dr. John Howard receives another six-year term overseeing NIOSH and a health program serving more than 140,000 9/11 responders and survivors
Sal Argano is the last firefighter still serving at Ten House who was assigned there on 9/11, carrying its history forward for younger firefighters and visitors
Nebraska Task Force 1 members deployed to the Pentagon and Ground Zero after 9/11, confronting collapsed buildings, toxic smoke and an unprecedented search-and-rescue mission
The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s #ForThe343 campaign has logged more than 550,000 flights of stairs to honor the 343 FDNY firefighters killed on 9/11
President Donald Trump joined first responders and families at a Tunnel to Towers ceremony featuring a World Trade Center steel beam and tributes to fallen FDNY members
New York City opened a public portal containing 170,000 pages of 9/11 records sought for years by first responders, survivors and families concerned about Ground Zero health risks
As deaths from 9/11-related illnesses surpass 6,000, advocates are pressing New York City to release decades-old records detailing air quality and toxic exposures at Ground Zero
More than 300 firefighters, police officers, EMS personnel and military members are expected to climb 1,455 steps at The Strat to mark the 25th remembrance of the Sept. 11 attacks
Communities across Broward and Palm Beach counties will hold memorial ceremonies, 110-story stair climbs and other remembrance events
How one day transformed emergency preparedness and the lives of generations of first responders
Plans to restore FDNY Ladder 9 for the 25th anniversary of 9/11 are on hold as organizers seek funding for repairs estimated to cost more than $1 million
Research on World Trade Center responders found PTSD and prolonged Ground Zero exposure were associated with signs of accelerated brain aging
Deputy Chief Oren Bersagel-Briese explains how an informal Denver stair climb became a nationwide tradition
The campaign, “The Sacrifice Didn’t End on 9/11,” runs through Sept. 30 and coincides with the 25-year remembrance of the 9/11 terrorist attacks
Shanksville firefighters who responded to the Flight 93 crash on 9/11 have spent the past 25 years opening their firehouse to the victims’ families and preserving a bond forged in tragedy
Maurizio Crescenzo remembers the firefighters who welcomed him and the community that rallied around them after 9/11
From 9/11 to major disasters across the country, Frank Leto shares what the fire service has learned about peer support, recovery and protecting firefighters for the long haul
The FDNY added 36 names to its World Trade Center Memorial Wall, bringing to 438 the number of fire and EMS members honored after dying from illnesses linked to Ground Zero
Twenty-five years later, empathy and teamwork say more than any ceremony
FDNY researchers are seeking federal coverage for cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline and other conditions as firefighters and EMS members exposed to Ground Zero toxins age
