On 9/11/01 Mr. Fisch was serving as the NYSEMO Region 1 Coordinator NYC/LI. He responded from Long Island to support operations at NYCOEM 7 WTC EOC. Upon approaching the Midtown Tunnel on the Long Island Expressway, he observed the collapse of the first tower. He then arrived in lower Manhattan as the second tower collapsed and supported the evacuating City and State EOC representatives evacuating WTC 7. The remobilization occurred at the NYCOEM Command Bus located on Houston Street across from FDNY Ladder 11. Within the next hour as the US Fighter jets flew overhead, the NYCOEM Command Bus was relocated to Chambers Street next to IS 89 where he supported the first 26 hours of the event as the NYSEMO Representative to NYCOEM on their Command Bus. He witnessed and proudly supported the initial mobilization and response to Ground Zero providing information to the NYSEMO EOC and coordinating state/federal/local resources responding to the event, until formally relieved by other NYSEMO staff the next afternoon on 9/12. He continued to serve as the NYSEMO Liaison to NYCOEM during the event in various capacities supporting the recovery effort through January 2002 in New York City.

Mr. Fisch currently serves as the Chief of the Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program at NYS OEM Headquarters in Albany, NY.

Chief Nucatola began his career with the Department in 1974 as a Sanitation Worker assigned to Manhattan District 9 Garage, which covers Hamilton Heights, Manhattanville, Morningside Heights, and West Harlem.

He rose steadily through the ranks to various supervisory positions within the Department, including Borough Chief in charge of Queens East Borough, Assistant Chief assigned to the BOO, and most recently as Director of OMD.

Among his many achievements, Chief Nucatola played an integral role in the Department’s response in the aftermath of September 11th. He is credited with planning and implementing some of the Department’s most ambitious technological upgrades, including OMD receiving the 2008 NYC Excellence in Technology Award for the “Best Wireless Project” for GPS/AVL.

He has developed calculated target adjustments that have kept the Department at the forefront of productivity initiatives among mayoral agencies.

Chief Nucatola has attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He and his family reside on Long Island.

New York State Police Major Stephen Nevins serves as the head of the Protective Services Unit, more commonly known as the Governor’s Detail. Major Nevins spent the majority of his 30-year career in Troop F as a Trooper and a supervisor, including time as the Zone II Commander in Monroe. While all New York State Troopers were affected in some way by the terrorist attacks on 9-11, Major Nevins lost a brother, New York City Firefighter Gerry Nevins, who was assigned to Rescue 1 in Manhattan and had responded to the World Trade Center. Major Nevins spent a significant amount of time at Ground Zero and assisted in the recovery efforts.

New York State Police Senior Investigator Terrence Mullen, who specializes in forensics, is in charge of the Identification Unit of Troop F. Senior Investigator Mullen has been with the New York State Police for 33 years, and began his career as a Trooper in Troop F. He is well known for being one of the founders of the New York State Police Pipes and Drums. A member of the Disaster Mortuary Response Team, Senior Investigator Mullen worked with the federal disaster team to assist the New York Medical Examiner in trying to identify the victims as they were removed from the rubble in the aftermath of 9-11.

Chief Diggins began his career in 1982 as a Sanitation Worker assigned to Brooklyn North District 2 Garage, serving Fort Greene and Brooklyn Heights. He was promoted to Supervisor in 1987 and was assigned as Garage Supervisor of Brooklyn North District 1 Garage.

In 1989, he transferred to the former Edgemere Landfill on the Rockaway peninsula in Queens, beginning his career in the Bureau of Waste Disposal. Upon promotion to General Superintendent in 1991, he was assigned to the former Fresh Kills Landfill, where he rose through the ranks to become Director of Fresh Kills in February 2002.

In May 2006, he was reassigned to headquarters, promoted to Chief and named Deputy Director of the Bureau of Waste Disposal under Chief Mucci. In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, he was assigned to work with the NYPD and FBI, he assumed responsibility for DSNY’s role in the forensic recovery effort until it’s completion in July 2002.

He holds certifications in FEMA Debris Management, the Incident Command System, and Landfill Operator. He is a 2001 graduate of the City’s Leadership Institute. In 2007, he completed the Senior Executives in State and Local Government management course given at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Chief Diggins is also a proud charter member of the Department’s award-winning Emerald Society Pipe & Drum Band, having served as Pipe Major from 1996 to 2001.

I currently reside in Bronx County with my fiancé, Patricia Bruno (Senior Court Clerk) who was a Senior Court Officer when she responded to the World Trade Center Site on 9/11, my daughter (Ebony M. Vera) and my Boston Terrier (Yankee-Boy). I enlisted in the US Army in 1988, while serving overseas I suffered a hand injury which prompted my retirement. As a disabled veteran, I began my career with the Unified Court System- Office of Court Administration on April 20th, 1998. I was assigned to the Bronx Criminal Court as a Uniformed Court Officer along with Thomas "Tommy" E. Jurgens (Senior Court Officer) who was lost on September 11th, 2001. I responded to the World Trade Center site along with my fellow brother and sister court officers of Bronx Criminal and Family Court. I also worked at Pier 90-92, the OEM Site providing perimeter security (12 hr) shifts. In November of 2001, I was promoted to the position of Senior Court Officer* and assigned to New York County Supreme Court-Criminal Division located at 111 Centre Street. While assigned to Manhattan, I provided security at the NY County Surrogates Court and lobby security at the Office of Court Administration Headquarters. I transferred to Bronx County Supreme Court-Criminal Division, July of 2003. While assigned to the Bronx, I was afforded the opportunity to work in the 4th Judicial District (Clinton County) to assist them with staffing concerns. In March of 2007, I accepted the position of Applicant Verification Officer (Sergeant) in the Office of Court Administration. Later that same year, I accepted the position of NYS Court Security Training Officer (Academy Instructor-Sergeant) which is where CPT William H. Thompson who was lost on September 11th, 2001 worked. In November 2011, I was promoted to NYS Senior Court Security Training Officer (Lieutenant) which is where I am currently assigned. I am a member of the NYS Guard, assigned to the 8th Decon Company (CERFP) located at the Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx and a volunteer member of the NYG CBRNE Task Force - HRF Region II.

Emergency workers found food, hydration, and emotional respite from recovery efforts inside the 35,000 square-foot feeding tent at Ground Zero, where The Salvation Army served as sole feeding provider. By the time recovery efforts ended, The Salvation Army had served more than 3 million meals at Ground Zero and other relief sites, utilizing the efforts of more than 7,000 Salvation Army officers and staff and more than 32,000 volunteers, representing a total of almost a million volunteer hours. In addition, by the end of 2001, The Salvation Army had created the World Trade Center Recovery Program, a long-term recovery program providing intensive case management to people who had lost family members, their homes, and/or their jobs. This program lasted until the fall of 2006.

A FDNY official gives a hug of gratitude to a Salvation Army volunteer in the “pit” at Ground Zero in the weeks following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The Salvation Army’s response to 9/11, officially known as “Operation: Compassion Under Fire,” provided food, hydration, supplies, grief counseling, financial assistance, referrals, and more, to hundreds of thousands of emergency workers, families of victims, and others impacted by the attacks.

Advocate for Injured Workers Ed Ruff joined the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board in 1998. Mr. Ruff’s office handles all death claims and the most complex workers’ compensation cases. Immediately after the September 11 terrorist attacks, Mr. Ruff and his staff began working 12 hours a day, seven days a week for the next three months helping injured and sick workers, and surviving families, receive workers’ compensation benefits. Mr. Ruff has zealously supported World Trade Center workers and their survivors for the last decade while also reaching out to concerned groups and advocating for the Zadroga Law. He represents the Workers’ Compensation Board on the Advisory Board of the World Trade Center Health Program at Mt. Sinai Hospital, as well.

“My staff and I did our jobs. It was the necessary role of everyone at the Workers’ Compensation Board. We all immediately recognized the need to extend ourselves and our hours to ensure injured workers and surviving families got their benefits as quickly as possible. I’m very proud of my staff’s efforts, and we continue today to assist those made ill by this tragic event,” Mr. Ruff said.

A lifelong advocate for working people, Mr. Ruff was the safety and health coordinator and the assistant director of community services for the NYS AFL-CIO from 1989 to 1998. He was a United Auto Workers representative for the quarter century before that. Among many distinctions, Mr. Ruff was a board member of the Mt. Sinai Hospital and Albany area Occupational Health Clinics. He was also a member of the National Safety Council, Labor Division, as vice-chair for promotion of safety training and education. Mr. Ruff was appointed by President Bill Clinton to the Labor Research Advisory Council at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Andrea Piecoro joined the New York State Workers Compensation Board in 1988, compiling statistics and analyzing employment risk for an OSHA report on workplace safety. She was a well-regarded and very knowledgeable administrative analyst on September 11, 2001. For several months after the disaster, Ms. Piecoro was integral to the Board’s outreach and assistance efforts at Pier 94, creating and managing work schedules while helping victims and surviving family members complete documents to claim workers’ compensation benefits. Acting with sensitivity and compassion, Ms. Piecoro analyzed and assigned cases while working with insurers to expedite the payment of benefits. She kept the Board’s executives apprised of developments, so processes and policies could be evaluated for their effectiveness, as well.

“I was honored to help the victims of this horror. We all witnessed it and we all want the best for everyone hurt by what happened that day,” Ms. Piecoro said.

Ms. Piecoro remained the agency’s go-to person in Claims Operations for World Trade Center cases for the next decade, heading a dedicated workgroup and answering complex inquiries. In 2011, a response to a survey indicated a woman may have been due a survivor’s benefit after losing her domestic partner that day; Ms. Piecoro contacted the woman and shepherded the claim through the process until the benefit was awarded. Consistently professional and empathic, she remains the agency’s expert on the handling of World Trade Center claims, even as she today works on a major initiative to implement the electronic reporting of workers’ compensation claims from insurance carriers.

Harry Thompson, a popular and highly respected 27-year veteran court officer, was at the training academy on William Street, just a short distance away from the World Trade Center when the attacks occurred. Captain Thompson, along with several other instructors and officers who were at the academy that day, ran to the scene. He stayed in the South Tower until the very end, moving people to safety and aiding the injured.

Harry was born and raised in the Bronx. After graduating high school, he attended St. Olaf College in Minnesota. While in college he married Jeanette Jackson and they became the proud parents of two sons. Harry was a devoted father who cherished each moment spent with his sons, especially every Sunday morning on the neighborhood basketball court.

Harry began his career in civil service with the United States Post Office. Seeking advancement opportunities, he later gained employment with the New York State Unified Court System. Harry ascended the ranks and was later promoted to Captain in the Supreme Court. Harry loved his latest position in the Court Officer Academy, where he had the opportunity to help fellow court officers by providing firearms training and others kill enhancement presentations. He took great pride in his work and enjoyed the interpersonal relationships he was able to foster.

His commitment to civil service was unmatched due to his inherent desire to make a difference while helping his fellow man. This special quality prompted him to enter the World Trade Center on September 11 and willingly make the ultimate sacrifice of his life, with the hope of saving another. Harry was a loving son, proud and active father, and a warm inspirational friend to many.

Appointed as an Emergency Medical Technician to the FDNY on June 3, 1993 and worked in the Bronx Ems Stations 21,22 and 23 until assigned to NYC-OEM 1999 to 2005, then assigned to Ems Bronx Division Commander 2005-2009 and currently assigned to Bronx Ems Sta. 19.

Kevin Allen attended Empire State College, has extensive training through FEMA,NYPD, and FDNY, 6 Pre-Hospital Saves, 17 letters of recognition from FDNY, 4 letters of Commendation from OEM, recipient of the St. Bernadine of Siena Medal 2002 (Siena College), and World Trade Center Survival Medal. He is Vice-President of EMS members in the FDNY Holy Name Society, and Union Delegate local 2507.

Kevin resides in Salisbury Mills, NY with his wife Jerilyn and five children Stephen, Lauren, Caitlin, Kristen and Brian.

With his life cut short at 26 years old, the accomplishments Tommy achieved in life were staggering. He lived in Long Island with his wife, of just three short months, Joan. Tom was a United States Army veteran serving as a combat medic in the Persian Gulf War and also in the New York State Army National Guard. He was Captain of Engine 334 of the Meadowmere Park Fire Department.

Tom entered the New York State Unified Court System and became a court officer on April 20, 1998. His first assignment was Bronx Criminal Court. In November 1999, Tommy promoted to Senior Court Officer, he was assigned to Manhattan Supreme Court-Criminal Term, 111 Centre Street. His last assignment was on security, patrolling the perimeter around the court complex.

Tommy was on duty on September 11, 2001 patrolling the courthouse when the first plane hit the World Trade Center. He raced to the scene in a jury bus filled with other court officers to treat the wounded and assist in evacuating civilians. Joan once said, “Any kind of crisis, he would always be the first to respond.” Tom’s partner SCO Joe Ranauro last saw him coming out of the lower levels of 5 WTC with injured civilians. Tommy’s last words were “I have to go down, those people need help.” Then the South Tower had come down, crushing the side of 5 WTC. Being on the other side, he didn’t make it out.

Philip Wayne Rizzo is a lifelong resident of Glen Cove. He was a member of the New York City Department of Correction for twenty four years. The last twelve of those spent as the training Captain in the Emergency Service Unit. During that time he received specialized training in many areas of emergency response.

On 9/11 Captain Rizzo responded to the World Trade Center site along with other correction personnel. He supervised Correction Officers during the Rescue and Recovery Operations spending over seven hundred hours at this site.

In 2005 he lead a team of Correction Officers to New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

After his retirement in 2008 he was selected to be part of the Board of the Feal Good Foundation. This Foundation’s mission is to spread awareness and educate the public regarding health effects on 9/11 responders, as well as advocating many years in Washington, D.C. for the Zadroga Health and Compensation Act.

Phil and his wife Rosa are also involved and part of the Advisory Board of The Tuesday’s Children First Responders Alliance.

Phil, Rosa, 4 children, son-in-law and two grandchildren all live in Glen Cove.

Since about 1980, Tony Pazzola has been a dedicated Red Cross volunteer. Currently he is the Regional Chairman for all Communications, Radios and the Trustee of all licenses for FCC ham radio stations. For 25 years Tony also served as an active Disaster Response Team (DAT) member, responding to local emergencies such as house fires.

Following 9/11, Tony spent three weeks assisting Red Cross canteening services in New York City. He also provided his communication expertise to the State of New York and participated in search and rescue operations with the Urban Rescue Team.

In total, Tony has responded to about one dozen disaster deployments throughout New York State.

On the morning of September 11, 2001, then Lieutenant Theresa Tobin was one of the first responders to the World Trade Center. Arriving shortly after the first attack, she began to assist in the evacuation of civilians, and it was just after escorting one of the victims from the South Tower that it collapsed. The force of the explosion blasted her clear across the street, racking her body with debris and a chunk of concrete that pierced her ballistic helmet, splitting it in half and imbedding itself in her skull. Despite this serious injury and a fractured ankle, Lieutenant Tobin continued to pull people from the wreckage. In the ensuing second collapse, the debris cloud once again engulfed Lieutenant Tobin. Drawing herself up once more, she found her way into a nearby building full of frightened civilians. As the smoke cleared, she initiated their evacuation. During this time she was told there was a shard of glass sticking in her back, the result of the second explosion. She was removed to a hospital where she was taken directly to surgery.

David Longshore served as a Public Information Officer and Director of Special Programs at the New York City Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) where he participated in all aspects of the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center disaster. He served as the director of OEM’s Blue Team from 2002-2004, and was the manager of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) during some of the city’s most notable emergency responses, including the crash of American Airlines Flight 587 (2001), the Staten Island barge explosion (2002), the President’s Day Blizzard (2003), the Staten Island ferry accident (2003), and the Northeastern Blackout of 2003. Between 2000 and 2003, Professor Longshore served on OEM’s Coastal Storm Team and assisted with the City of New York’s preparedness operations for Hurricane Bonnie (1998), Tropical Storm Floyd (1999) and Hurricane Isabel (2003).

Mr. David Longshore earned his B.A. in History and English from Amherst College, and his M.A. in Security Studies (Homeland Security and Defense) from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. He is a former Adjunct Instructor with the Center for Continuing Studies (CCS), where he taught graduate courses on Contemporary Issues in Homeland Security.

Mr. Longshore served as a member of the Intelligence Institute at the Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) at the Naval Postgraduate School, where he specialized in maritime domain protection, critical infrastructure protection, and emergency management. In addition to the Encyclopedia of Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Cyclones (Third Edition, 2008), Professor Longshore is the author of numerous articles, plays, short stories, and novels. In 2005, his article, “American Sea Power and the Prevention of Terror” was published in Homeland Security Affairs journal. He is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, and currently serves as a District Representative and Press Secretary for New York State Assemblyman Michael DenDekker.

Gerald Ladouceur was born in Albany and graduated from Cardinal McLoskey High Scholl.He served in both the Marine Corp and Navy, and most recently served as a chaplain for the NY Naval Militia. He was ordained a Catholic deacon in 1994 and is a Doctor of Psychology. He is a chaplain at the VA Medical Center in Albany and at The Community Hospice.

On September 11th, 2011, the 137 volunteer EMT and paramedic members of Flatbush Hatzoloh Inc. rushed without a moments thought to assist the authorities at ground zero immediately following the horrific attacks. Using all six amublances in their flee as well as personal vehicles they selflessly aided in the treatment and transportation of numerous victims and helped in the evacuation of hundreds of more. As part of galvanized effort by the greater Chevra Hatzoloh network of 35 ambulances, 250 emt’s and 55 paramedics, this was the largest response to the tragedy after those by Port Authority Police Department, theFire Department of New York and New York City Police Departments.

Frank McCarton is OEM’s Deputy Commissioner of Operations. A graduate of Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government National Preparedness Leadership Initiative Program, McCarton most recently served as Deputy Commissioner for Strategic Planning and Operational Development at the Boston Fire Department (BFD). Prior to BFD, McCarton was Undersecretary of the California Emergency Management Agency when the state’s Office of Emergency Services merged with the Office of Homeland Security. He helped oversee California’s response to several major wildfires, mudslides and earthquakes. McCarton also served as Deputy Commissioner for Public Information in the NYC Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management from 1999 to 2004. Among the first responders to the September 11th terrorist attack, he organized the City’s Crisis Communications program and served as the City’s primary spokesperson.

Deputy Commissioner McCarton brings over two decades of achievement in the fields of operations, emergency management and crisis communications to OEM.

Morris Faitelewicz (pictured on far left) is a lifelong resident of the Lower East Side and a dedicated community advocate who has served his neighbors tirelessly in multiple capacities throughout his life. On September 11, 2001, Faitelewicz was the commanding officer of the 7th Precinct Auxiliary Police Rescue Unit. In the difficult days and months that followed, Faitelewicz played a vital role in the rescue and recovery operation, overseeing a team of volunteers and coordinating with the New York City Police Department Emergency Service Unit. In his role as commander, Faitelewicz, who at that time held the rank of Captain in the Auxiliary Police, oversaw such crucial operations as organizing, assembling and distributing rescue equipment and supplies for work on “the pile”; providing security for the ESU command center; responding to service calls at Ground Zero, as well many other important tasks.

Faitelewicz averaged 36 hours a week for nine months at the pile, selflessly giving his time to the physically and emotionally demanding work of helping our city and our nation recover from the worst terrorist attack in its history. Faitelewicz has since attained the rank of Inspector, and served as the citywide commanding officer of the Auxiliary Police Emergency Support Unit. In addition to his work in the Auxiliary Police, Faitelewicz has served for decades as a member of Community Board 3 in Manhattan. He is also a volunteer paramedic for the Hatzalah emergency medical service.

Shilpan Patel, a 20 year veteran of NYSDOT, in response to the events of September 11, 2001, coordinated with PANYNJ to establish a haul road and barging operation at Pier 25 between Chambers and N. Moore Streets. He also worked to meet the immediate challenges: reestablish the corridor and reopen Route 9A for general public use; reestablish safe pedestrian connections; and restore lost utility connections.

In addition in early 2002, Mr. Patel reviewed and provided oversight in the preparation of a Detailed Damage Inspection Report (DDIR) to assess the order of magnitude damage to the Route 9A roadway and ensure that heavy equipment did not compromise the 50 year design permanent pavement and crush the shallow utilities underneath; coordinated to secure funding for 9A work especially from FEMA and FHWA; and worked with Main Office to hire consultants and define a scope of work for the eventual Route 9A reconstruction at the WTC.