Police & Fire

Photo Essay: Local Firefighters Reflect on 9/11

A look at their memories of the day.

By Tieshka Smith
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September 11, 2011

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At the time of the attacks, Capt. Tim Tygh was a lieutenant out of Engine 16 in West Philly. "I was just getting off work," he said. "I turned on the TV and watched the first plane hit the towers. What struck me the most about the events of that day was the resulting silence in the skies due to all air traffic being grounded in response to what had happened."

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Firefighter Vaughn Gale was studying for the firefighter exam and was scheduled to take the test in Oct. 2001. He was undeterred by the attacks on Sept. 11. "The events of September 11, 2001 inspired me to continue and fulfill my goal of becoming a firefighter. It also elevated my awareness of how important the job is," he said.

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FSP Jeanine Jacobson is a medic with Engine 9. "I was working for another ambulance company in 2001. I heard the news about the attack as I was driving home from work," she said. "The company I worked for organized to go to NYC to assist with the rescue and recovery effort, but was turned away because of the overwhelming response."

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Firefighter Robert Kennedy was in high school at the time of the Sept. 11 attacks and joined the department in 2007 after leaving college, where he was studying for a degree in public administration. "I had always wanted to become a firefighter prior to 9/11. Watching TV, and seeing the guys go into harm's way while others were evacuating, inspired me," he said. "The overwhelming public support for first responders—firefighters, police, medics—motivate me to do my job."

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Firefighter Michael Miller was a sophomore in high school when the country was attacked on Sept. 11th and joined the department in 2007. "I remember watching it on television at school and I remember us being told to go home. The schools were shut down as a result. I also remember hearing about the planes crashing in Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania," he said. "I honestly didn't know what to expect."

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Lieutenant Malik Willard, a 17-year veteran in the department, was working that day as a fireman. He had completed six years of service to the city of Philadelphia. That morning, he and other members were watching television as events were unfolding. "It all seemed so unreal," he said. "When I saw the second plane fly into the Twin Towers, I thought it was a replay of the first plane crashing into the towers. When I realized what was happening, I knew that the country was under attack. Not too long afterwards, we received a medical call. As we were responding to that call, someone told us that a plane had crashed into the Pentagon. I remember that many of us were signing up to volunteer to go up to NYC to assist with the rescue and recovery effort, but were turned away because of the associated risks to our safety ... I remember in April 2002, Amtrak allowed active firefighters to travel for free to NYC to attend the funerals of fallen firefighters. I was struck by the fact that the ruins were still smoldering and smoky, months later ... the camaraderie among us was very powerful ... video footage still makes me emotional."

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Firefighter Dennis "Denny" Wolf was working a construction job when the country was attacked on Sept. 11. The events subsequently left him "disgusted and angry" and wanting to join the military. Instead, he was inspired to become a firefighter a year later, on Sept. 11, 2002, where he was in Center City and saw firefighters participating in a memorial for the fallen firemen who were lost on Sept. 11.

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Some firefighters who are stationed in the Engine 9, Ladder 21 firehouse on Germantown Avenue in Mt. Airy were part of the Philadelphia Fire Department on 9/11. Some weren't.

But they all have very strong memories of that day, and Sept. 11 inspired some of them to become firefighters.

You can read what they had to say about the day in the above photo essay.

Related Topics: 9-11

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Philadelphia Fire Department - Engine 9, Ladder 21

Germantown Ave & Carpenter Ln, Philadelphia, PA

40.05483

-75.18693

Philadelphia Fire Department - Engine 9, Ladder 21

Germantown Ave & Carpenter Ln, Philadelphia, PA

911

/listings/philadelphia-fire-department-engine-9-ladder-21

1541736

/locations/2676460