On September 11, 2001, two rigs left the firehouse at 66th street and Amsterdam Avenue headed to the World Trade Center with 13 men aboard. Twelve of the men died; one survived after being knocked unconscious when one of the buildings was imploding on itself.
The plaque above is on the outer wall of the fire station. The fallen firefighters’ names are:
Capt. Frank Callahan
Lt. John Ginley
Firefighter 1 Gr. Bruce Gary
Firefighter 1 Gr. James Giberson
Firefighter 1 Gr. Michael Otten
Firefighter 1 Gr. Kevin Bracken
Firefighter 1 Gr. Steve Mercado
Firefighter 1 Gr. Michael Roberts
Firefighter 1 Gr. John Marshall
Firefighter 3 Gr. Vincent Morello
Firefighter 3 Gr. Michael Lynch
Firefighter 6 Gr. Michael D’Auria
A website about the men of Engine 40 and Ladder 35 is here. A deeply moving eulogy by Captain James Gormley for Captain Callahan is here. People left flowers outside the firehouse today.
At Lincoln Center, Buglisi Dance Theater put on a dance performance on Wednesday morning in commemoration of the attacks.
Photo by Christopher Duggan.
David Halberstam wrote a book about this. It’s called “Firehouse” and it is a wonderful, and emotional read.