WORLD TRADE CENTER TASK FORCE INTERVIEW FIREFIGHTER KEVIN MCCABE

FILE NO 9110344 WORLD TRADE CENTER TASK FORCE INTERVIEW FIREFIGHTER KEVIN INTERVIEW DATE DECEMBER 13 2001 TRANSCRIBED BY ELISABETH NASON

BATTALION CHIEF BURNS TODAYS DATE IS DECEMBER 13 2001 THE TIME IS 348 PM IM BATTALION CHIEF ROBERT BURNS SAFETY BATTALION NEW YORK CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT IM CONDUCTING AN INTERVIEW WITH KEVIN LADDER 122 THIS IS IN REGARDS TO THE EVENTS OF SEPTEMBER 11 2001 IF YOU WOULD KEVIN IN YOUR OWN WORDS JUST TELL US WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT DATE WAS COMING TO WORK THAT MORNING SOON AFTER WE HEARD EITHER SECOND OR THIRD ALARM TRANSMITTED IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN SOMEBODY SAID THE TRADE CENTER WAS HIT BY PLANE AT THE TIME THAT DIDNT MAKE SENSE TO ME IM THINKING WHAT DO YOU MEAN GOT HIT BY PLANE IM SC THINKING SMALL COMMUTER PLANE CR THAT NATURE REMEMBER GOING UP TO THE HOUSE WATCH SEEING IT ON TV SEEING THE SMOKE ISSUE FROM WHAT TURNED OUT TO BE THE NORTH TOWER THINKING TO MYSELF AND THE GUYS WE ARE GOING TO BE GOING TO THAT FEW OF THE GUYS WE WENT UP TO THE ROOF OF THE BUILDING WHERE WE HAVE AN UNOBSTRUCTED VIEW OF THE CITY IT WAS CRYSTAL CLEAR DAY THERE WAS THINKING OH MY GOD WE ARE GOING TO GO TO THAT

CAME DOWNSTAIRS HAD ALREADY TAKEN MY GEAR OUT BUT NOW IT WAS QUESTION OF ARE WE GOING TO GET TICKET FOR THAT AND SURE ENOUGH ABOUT THINK IT WAS 854 WE GOT TICKET THAT WE WERE GOING TO RESPOND IN TO THE BROOKLYN SIDE OF THE BATTERY TUNNEL SOME STREET THERE DONT KNOW THE NAME OF IT REMEMBER GETTING ON THE RIG GOT EVERYBODY TOGETHER WE TOOK OFF WAS DRIVING THAT DAY REMEMBER MAKING THE TURN OFF 7TH AVENUE ON TO 9TH STREET 132 WAS COMING DOWN 9TH STREET AND WE MET THEM AT THE CORNER AND THEY FOLLOWED US DOWN TO THE INITIAL STAGING AREA WHICH WAS RIGHT ON THE BROOKLYN SIDE OF THE TUNNEL REMEMBER PULLING UP THERE BY THE TUNNEL AND SEEING BUNCH OF UNITS OFF TO THE SIDE WE STOPPED TH RIG 1TH WAS TH JUST FRC REMEMBERING THE TICKET THERE WAS PROBABLY LIKE 10 COMPANIES THERE LOT OF TRAFFIC THE GUYS GOT OFF THE RIG SO THEY COULD GO WALK TO THE SIDE RAILS SO THEY COULD STILL SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON BEING ON THE RIG DIDNT HAVE ANY TV SCREEN SO LOT OF THE STUFF THAT EXPERIENCED EARLY ON THAT DAY DIDNT MAKE SENSE BECAUSE THINK REMEMBER HEARING SOMEBODY SAY SOON AFTER THAT THE OTHER BUILDING GOT HIT

AROUND THAT TIME THE TELEPRINTER ON THE RIG THE MDT WE GOT ANOTHER TICKET THAT TOLD US TO RESPOND INTO THE TRADE CENTER REMEMBER DRIVING THROUGH THE TUNNEL BOTH TUNNELS HAD BEEN SHUT DOWN THEY WERE JUST OPENING UP TRAFFIC SO ALL THE APPARATUS COULD GET THROUGH WE ENDED UP GOING THROUGH THE LEFT TUBE THE LEFT LANE WHICH WAS BROOKLYN BOUND BUT THEY HAD STOPPED ALL THE TRAFFIC WE WERE GOING THROUGH THE TUNNEL THERE WAS AT LEAST AN ENGINE COMPANY IN FRONT OF US AND AN ENGINE COMPANY BEHIND US BUT COULDNT SEE ANYTHING MORE AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH THE TUNNEL REMEMBER HEARING KNEW THE VOICE CAPTAIN VINNIE BRUNTON SAYING HE WAS TRYING TO CALL SOMEBODY SAYING THEY AR GETTING THAT TH IS BC IN TH BUILDING WHICH AGAIN DIDNT MAKE TOTAL SENSE TO ME BECAUSE YOU GOT SOME INFORMATION FROM PEOPLE OR YOU JUST HEARD LIKE THE OTHER BUILDING GOT HIT WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE BUILDING GOT HIT IM THINKING THIS WHOLE TIME THAT IT WAS AN ACCIDENT SO FAR IT WAS AN ACCIDENT BUILDINGS GOT HIT REMEMBER GOING THROUGH THE TUNNEL OUR PROCESSION THE LANE THAT WE WENT THROUGH CAME TO WHAT

SEEMED TO BE AT LEAST SOLID TO 10 MINUTE STOP WE DIDNT KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON AS IT TURNED OUT CAR THAT WAS BROOKLYN BOUND HAD GOTTEN TWO FLAT TIRES SO THEY HAD TO MOVE SOME CARS OUT OF MANHATTAN BOUND TRAFFIC IN THAT TUBE JUST SO WE COULD GET AROUND THEM REMEMBER DRIVING PAST AND LOOKING DOWN AND SEEING THE GUYS CAR HAD TWO FLAT TIRES ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WHICH WOULD IMAGINE WHOEVER WENT THROUGH THE OTHER TUNNEL THEY ACTUALLY GOT THROUGH THE TUNNEL LITTLE FASTER ANYWAY WE COME OUT OF THE TUNNEL REMEMBER AS WE GOT UP ON WEST STREET AND WE ARE HEADING NORTH ON WEST STREET IM LOOKING AHEAD REMEMBER KIND OF LEANING FORWARD AND LOOKING UP AND SEEING THE SMOKE IN THE BUILDINGS REMEMBER SEEING WHAT TO ME LOOKED LIKE ROAD KILL IN THE STREET IM THINKING WHAT TH HELL IS THAT RN TH NC REALLY KNC WHAT IT WAS YOU KNOW DRIVING AROUND THERE WAS SOME DEBRIS IN THE STREET THERE WERE PEOPLE DIRECTING TRAFFIC REMEMBER AT ONE POINT SEEING WHAT LOOKED LIKE PIECE OF AN AIRPLANE NOW AT THE TIME WHEN SAW IT IM THINKING OH THATS PART OF THE AIRPLANE BUT IM STILL THINKING MUCH SMALLER PLANE ALSO SEE SOME OF THIS WHAT WAS THINKING AT THE TIME LOOKED LIKE ROAD KILL BUT REMEMBER ONE TIME SLOWING

DOWN AND LEANING UP ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOOK DOWN AND IT WAS AN INTESTINE CLEARLY THATS DEFINITELY WHAT SAW TALKING TO THE GUYS LATER ON THEY SAW LOTS OF OTHER CARNAGE THAT WAS ON THE STREET BUT IM TRYING TO DRIVE THE RIG AS WE PASSED THE LIBERTY STREET WALKWAY BRIDGE WE WERE NOW LOOKING TO TRY TO FIND SPOT ON EITHER SIDE OF THE STREET BUT THERE WAS REALLY NOWHERE FOR ME TO TUCK THE RIG IN IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WERE TONS OF UNITS THERE ALREADY WE ENDED UP GOING NORTH OF THE VESEY STREET WALKWAY BRIDGE AND WE ENDED UP PULLING OFF TO THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE STREET SOMEWHERE YOU KNOW BLOCK OR TWO OR SOME DISTANCE PAST THE VESEY STREET WALKWAY FRC TH GC TH RIG GC ALL OUR GEAR TOGETHER AND WE MADE IT POINT TO SAID LISTEN LETS MAKE POINT NOT TO GET SEPARATED REMEMBER THE BOSS TELLING THE GUYS SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE BAD DAY IT WAS JUST NOT GOING TO BE GOOD DAY SO AS WE WERE WALKING BACK HEADED BACK TO THE COMMAND POST WHICH WAS SET UP BELIEVE IT WAS ON THE WEST SIDE OF WEST STREET GUESS THE AMERICAN

EXPRESS BUILDING WAS BEHIND US AND WE WERE LOOKING DIRECTLY AT THE NORTH TOWER FROM THERE YOU COULD SEE THAT BUILDING THE MARRIOTT HOTEL WAS TO THE RIGHT THE SOUTH TOWER WAS BEHIND THE MARRIOTT REMEMBER LOOKING UP WATCHING THERE WAS SMOKE PUSHING FROM BOTH BUILDINGS BUT AT THIS TIME WHEN YOU KNOW KNOW YOU ARE HEARING BITS AND PIECES OF INFORMATION BUT YOU DONT HAVE TIME TO DISCUSS IT GET ALL THE FACTS LIKE TWO COMMERCIAL AIR LINERS HIT THE BUILDING DONT THINK WAS FULLY AWARE OF THAT THINK IT WAS HALF OF THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE WHAT WE ARE WATCHING LITTLE BIT OF EXCITEMENT TOO LIKE WOW WE ARE GOING TO BE BUT PRCBABLY IN TH COMMAND POST FOR PROBABLY NOT MORE THAN MINUTES MAYBE LITTLE MORE DONT REALLY REMEMBER THE EXACT TIME FRAME BUT REMEMBER WHILE WE STOOD THERE IN THESE TWO DRIVEWAYS LOOKING UP AT THE NORTH TOWER AND SEEING DEBRIS COMING DOWN AND REMEMBER AS THE DEBRIS GOT CLOSER TO THE GROUND YOU REALIZED THAT IT WAS PEOPLE BECAUSE THEN YOU STARTED SEEING ARMS AND LEGS AND THAT WAS GUESS LIKE WATCHING TRAIN WRECK

YOU JUST HAD TO WATCH YOU JUST COULDNT BELIEVE WHAT YOU WERE WATCHING REMEMBER SEEING PROBABLY FROM THAT TIME FRAME TO 12 PEOPLE WHERE YOU WOULD HAVE ONE PERSON COMING DOWN THERE WAS SECOND AND THIRD PERSON ON THEIR WAY DOWN JUST REMEMBER IT WAS LIKE CANNON BALLS HITTING THE GROUND BOOM MOST OF THEM WERE LANDING UP ON GUESS THERE WAS SOMEWHAT OF SET BACK ON THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING WHERE THEY WERENT LANDING ON THE STREET BECAUSE IT WAS GUESS SOME SORT OF SET BACK THEY WERE LANDING THERE REMEMBER ONE PERSON ACTUALLY HITTING PIECE OF STRUCTURAL STEEL OVER GLASS CANOPY AND THAT JUST DISINTEGRATED JUST THE MOST HORRIFIC THING EVER SAW BUT LIKE SAID YOU WATCHED IT IN SOMEWHAT DISB BUT YRNI JUST CANT WHAT IM WATCHING REMEMBER THE REACTION OF THE GUYS BEHIND ME LIKE OH MY GOD THEY ARE JUMPING THEY ARE JUMPING AND SOMEBODY SAYING TURN AROUND DONT WATCH IT REMEMBER JUST SAYING YOU KNOW DONT NEED TO WATCH THAT TURNING MY FACE AWAY AND YOU JUST HEAR THE POUNDING LIKE BOOM IT WAS JUST TREMENDOUSLY LOUD LIKE TAKING BAG OF CONCRETE AND THROWING IT IN CLOSED COURTYARD JUST LOUD ECHO JUST BOOM BOOM

ANYWAY DONT REMEMBER EXACTLY WHO WAS IN THE COMMAND POST WITH US BUT KNOW WE WENT THROUGH THE TUNNEL WITH 105 132 BECAUSE WE WERE ALL STATIONED ACTUALLY REMEMBER VAGUELY SEEING THE 48 BATTALION ON THE BROOKLYN SIDE ALL THESE COMPANIES REMEMBER SEEING ON THE BROOKLYN SIDE REMEMBER SEEING 105S RIG BECAUSE THEY GOT SPOT CLOSER TO THE COMMAND POST THEY ACTUALLY THINK WERE PARKED ACTUALLY JUST NORTH OF THE VESEY STREET WALKWAY OR VERY CLOSE TO IT REMEMBER SEEING THAT WE ENDED UP GETTING OUR ASSIGNMENT WE WERE GOING TO GO INTO THE SOUTH TOWER WITH THAT WE STARTED HEADING SOUTH ALONG WEST STREET AND WE DIDNT GO STRAIGHT ACROSS BECAUSE WITH ALL THE DEBRIS AND PEOPLE THAT WERE COMING DOWN WE HEADED OVER TOWARDS LIBERTY STR AND KIND TC SC HEAD CRN FRC THE WALKWAY BRIDGE AS WE CROSSED OVER WEST STREET WE WERE STILL MORE OR LESS UNDER THE LIBERTY STREET WALKWAY AND KNOW 131 THEY WERE BEHIND US BECAUSE WHEN WE ENDED UP GOING IN THE HOTEL THEY WERE RIGHT BEHIND US BUT WE WERE ALL GOING IN GROUPS OF THREE OR FOUR OR FIVE LIKE LOOKING UP TO MAKE SURE IT WAS CLEAR AND THEN RUNNING DIAGONALLY ACROSS THE STREET AND THEN ENTERING GUESS THROUGH THE RESTAURANT PORTION OF THE

10 OF THE HOTEL WHICH IS RIGHT ON THE CORNER OF LIBERTY AND WEST WE WENT INSIDE PROBABLY 60 OR 80 FEET AND THEN WE CAME TO STOP BECAUSE THERE WERE UNITS IN FRONT OF US WHO HAD COME TO STOP IT WAS ALMOST LIKE YOU GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO LOOK OVER THE CROWD TO SEE WHO WAS LEADING THE PROCESSION OR WHO WAS DIRECTING TRAFFIC AHEAD BUT IN MY MIND IT WAS LIKE WELL AS SOON AS THE COMPANIES IN FRONT OF US MOVE THATS WHEN WE START TO MOVE EVERYBODY WAS STANDING FAST EVERYBODY HAD THEIR GEAR REMEMBER CIVILIANS THAT WERE WORKING IN THE HOTEL SOME WOMAN BRINGING OUT BOTTLE OF WATER BIG GALLON BOTTLE AND SHE WAS TRYING TO POUR CUPS THERE WAS DESK OFF TO THE SIDE SAID WHY DONT YOU PUT THAT DC CM TH DESK TH SC BRRNIGHT MIT CASES OF WATER REMEMBER TAKING CASE OF WATER AND WALKING IT AHEAD AND PUTTING IT DOWN FOR SOME OF THE GUYS THAT WERE MAYBE 20 30 FEET AHEAD OF US DONT REMEMBER SEEING HEAD PIECES OF THE GUYS IN FRONT OF US BUT SOME OF THE GUYS THAT WE WERE WITH ONE OF THE GUYS WHO ACTUALLY SPENT YEAR IN 105 SAID HE SAW 105 THEY WERE JUST SOME DISTANCE IN FRONT OF US WHERE YOU COULD STILL SEE THEM BUT THEY WERE

11 ALSO STANDING FAST LIKE SAID YOU WERENT MOVING BECAUSE THERE WERE GUYS IN FRONT YOU JUST ASSUMED THAT THEY WERE GOING IN THE SAME PLACE YOU DIDNT MAKE PUSH TO GO THROUGH THE CROWD SOMETIME AFTER THAT WE WERE PROBABLY THERE FOR ANOTHER SAY MINUTES THEN THERE WAS TALK IN THE GROUP WITH US AND 131 AND WHOEVER THE COMPANY WAS IN FRONT OF DONT REMEMBER BUT SAYING DONT KNOW IF WE ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE REMEMBER WALKING NOW AT THIS POINT HAD TAKEN OFF MY TURN OUT COAT AND MY MASK AND LAID IT DOWN FIGURED BECAUSE IM SWEATING MY NUTS OFF AT THIS POINT SAID WHEN THEY START MOVING WE WILL GRAB OUR GEAR WE WILL GO THROUGH SOMEBODY ALSO SAID ITS LIKE AN HOUR WALK TO 70 WE JUST FIGURED LIKE WOW WE GC TC GC UP TC JUST TRY VACUAT SC PEOPLE REMEMBER WALKING STRAIGHT AHEAD MORE TOWARDS THE FRONT OF THE LOBBY OF THE MARRIOTT AND GRABBED THE MAINTENANCE GUY AND ASKED HIM WHERE ARE WE RIGHT NOW HE SAID YOU GUYS ARE IN LIKE THE RESTAURANT OR BAR AREA OF THE HOTEL WHICH WAS WHERE WE WERE STANDING BUT THE ACTUAL PHYSICAL BAR RESTAURANT WOULD BE BETWEEN WALL WE WERE IN AN AREA THAT WAS

12 PROBABLY LIKE 20 FEET WIDE TO OUR LEFT WOULD BE WEST STREET STRAIGHT AHEAD WOULD BE THE NORTH TOWER TO THE RIGHT THE SOUTH TOWER BEHIND US WAS THE DOOR THAT WE CAME IN GUESS WE WERE IN LIKE CORRIDOR THAT WOULD TAKE YOU TO THE LOBBY AND THROUGH THE WALL THAT WAS TO OUR IMMEDIATE RIGHT THE RESTAURANT BAR AREA WAS DIRECTLY BEHIND THAT AND THE DOORWAY TO GET IN THERE WAS MORE OR LESS THE DOORWAY THAT WE CAME IN IF YOU MADE SHARP RIGHT THAT WOULD TAKE YOU INTO THE RESTAURANT BAR AREA HE TOLD US WHERE WE WERE AND ASKED THE GUY HOW DO WE GET TO THE SOUTH TOWER HE SAID GO STRAIGHT THROUGH THE LOBBY MORE OR LESS HE SAID YOU GO THROUGH THOSE DOUBLE DOORS AND YOU MAKE RIGHT AND IT WILL TAKE YOU BACK TO THE SOUTH TOWER REMEMBER ASKING HIM AR GC TC INSIDE TH WHC TIME SAID YES THERE IS LIKE TUNNEL OR SOME OVERHEAD THAT YOU WONT BE EXPOSING YOURSELF TO DEBRIS THATS FALLING DOWN REMEMBER TELLING OUR LIEUTENANT AND THE BOSS OF 131 SAID LOU WE ARE NOT IN THE RIGHT PLACE WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS CROWD WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THOSE DOORS WITH THAT WE PUT OUR GEAR ON AND TWO OF OUR GUYS HAD GONE TO THE BATHROOM YOU TURN

13 BACK WHERE ARE THEY THEY WENT INTO THE BATHROOM WHICH WAS ACTUALLY IN THE BAR RESTAURANT THERE THEY SAID THAT WHEN THEY WERE IN THE BATHROOM THERE WAS TON OF GUYS IN THERE SOME GUYS WHO HAVE HEARD THIS STORY THOUGHT CANT BELIEVE THEY WENT TO THE BATHROOM BUT YOU WERE STANDING FAST YOU WERE MORE OR LESS STAGING THERE WAS NOBODY GOING ANYWHERE ONCE THEY CAME OUT WE SAID WE ARE NOT IN THE RIGHT PLACE IT WAS ONLY MATTER OF MINUTE WHEN THEY SHOWED UP SAYING WE ARE NOT IN THE RIGHT PLACE GET YOUR GEAR WE ARE GOING THROUGH SHORTLY AFTER THEY CAME OUT AND GOT THEIR GEAR ON WE WERE READY TO GO STRAIGHT AHEAD YOU HEARD ROAR SOME SORT OF VIBRATION LIKE VRR VRR VRR GETTING LOUDER AND LOUDER MY FIRST THRMGHT TC MYSELF LIVE DC IN ROCKAWAY SO HAVE HEARD PLANES COMING OVERHEAD FOR YEARS IT SOUNDED LIKE PLANE GETTING CLOSER AND LOUDER AND LOUDER AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW YOU FELT THE BUILDING SHOOK AT THAT MOMENT IT WAS THINK EVERY MAN FOR THEMSELVES THINK MIGHT HAVE HEARD SOMEBODY SAY ITS COMING DOWN OR SOMETHING BUT AT THE TIME WAS FACING STRAIGHT WHICH WAS FACING NORTH IN THE HOTEL LOBBY TO MY LEFT WAS

14 WEST STREET AND REMEMBER THINKING TO MYSELF IM GOING TO HEAD TOWARDS THAT PERIMETER WALL AND THERE WAS DESK SOMEWHAT BEHIND ME REMEMBER DIVING TO MY LEFT AND BACK BETWEEN THE PERIMETER WALL AND DESK REMEMBER HEARING CRASHING COMING DOWN THERE WAS DUST STARTING TO BLOW IN BECAUSE REMEMBER STARTING TO FEEL STUFF IN MY MOUTH TRYING TO SPIT THAT OUT AND REMEMBER HAVING PROBLEMS BREATHING BECAUSE THERE WAS JUST SO MUCH CRAP BLOWING INTO MY FACE REMEMBER JUST LYING THERE ON THE FLOOR THINKING CANT BREATHE TOO WELL RIGHT NOW BECAUSE GOT ALL THIS CRAP IN MY MOUTH AND IM JUST WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO FALL ON ME AND THEN IM JUST GOING TO SIT HERE AND IM GOING TO SUFFOCATE ONCE ALL THE CRASHINGS YOU KNOW AFTER THAT WENT SILENT CC HEAR GUYS BEHIND INSIDE THE DOORWAY WHERE WE HAD JUST COME IN GUESS THERE WAS SOME SORT OF FIRE GATE OR SOMETHING OR SECURITY GATE IM NOT SURE THAT HAD SOMEWHAT COME DOWN AND CLOSED AND IT WAS ONLY OPEN LIKE FEET THERE WAS BUNCH OF GUYS THAT WERE TRYING TO LIFT IT UP REMEMBER GETTING UP STILL HAD MY MASK ON AT THIS POINT BECAUSE JUST WHEN WE WERE GETTING READY TO GO HAD ALL THE GEAR ON HAD HALLIGAN AN AXE MY

15 MASK GETTING READY TO PARADE STRAIGHT AHEAD REMEMBER TURNING MY LIGHT ON AND LOOKING IT WAS PITCH BLACK YOU HAD HAZE OF DUST LOOKING AROUND FOR THE GUYS THAT WAS JUST STANDING WITH WAS ABLE TO FINALLY LIEUTENANT MCLETCHIE AND JOHN LEANZA AT THIS POINT WE WERE MISSING GUYS VITIELLO KOYLES AND KASEY WERE NOT THERE IT WAS JUST LIKE WHERE ARE THEY REMEMBER WALKING AROUND AND JUST KIND OF DOING QUICK LOOK AROUND TRYING TO LOOK THROUGH THE DUST AND THE DARKNESS LOOKING STRAIGHT AHEAD COULD SEE THAT IT WAS PRETTY MUCH FROM WHAT REMEMBER SEALED OFF THAT PART OF THE LOBBY WAS NOW BLOCKED WITH WHATEVER TALKING TO KASEY NOT KASEY LEANZA AND MCLETCHIE SAID DONT KNOW WHERE DAVE AND THE OTHER GUYS ARE SO REMEMBER WALKING BACK TOWARDS THE GUYS THAT WERE LIFTING THE GATE UP AND THEY WERE TRYING TO LIFT IT UP BUT IT WAS OPEN LIKE MAYBE FEET REMEMBER GOING BACK AND GRABBING LIKE PODIUM AND WEDGING IT THERE THAT WAY THE GATE WOULDNT COME DOWN ANY FURTHER WAS ABLE TO WALK OUT THE SAME DOOR THAT WE HAD WALKED INTO AT THIS POINT STILL DONT KNOW THE SOUTH TOWER CAME DOWN IM CONVINCED THAT UP UNTIL

16 THAT AFTERNOON WAS SAYING WAS IN THE HOTEL WHEN IT GOT HIT BY PLANE REMEMBER GOING OUTSIDE NOW TO MY LEFT DOWN LIBERTY STREET IN THE DIRECTION OF 10 HOUSE REMEMBER SEEING PARKED CARS THAT WERE ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE STREET AS US AND THEY WERE COVERED IN RUBBLE PROBABLY JUST HIGHER THAN THEIR FRONT ENDS BECAUSE COULD JUST STILL MAKE OUT THEIR FLASHING HEADLIGHTS WITH THE ALARMS GOING OFF REMEMBER LOOKING SOUTH ON WEST STREET PAST ON THE SIDE OF THE LIBERTY STREET WALKWAY BRIDGE WHERE LADDER 113S RIG WAS REMEMBER THAT WAS BALL OF FIRE DIDNT KNOW IT WAS 113S RIG AT THE TIME REMEMBER THERE WAS BALL OF FIRE OVER THERE AND WAS LIKE WOW WHATS BURNING OVER THERE TH WAS AN ENGINE CR HC UP RIGHT OUTSIDE THE HOTEL WHERE WE WALKED IN GUESS HOOKED UP TO HYDRANT AND HOOKED UP TO THE STAND PIPE DONT REMEMBER WHAT ENGINE IT WAS BUT REMEMBER THERE WAS ANOTHER GUY FIREMAN HE HAD BLOOD ON HIS FACE AND HE WAS TRYING TO FORCE OPEN SOME OF THE GUESS EMS COMPARTMENTS ON THE RIG TRIED TO GIVE HIM HAND WE COULDNT FORCE THEM REMEMBER THERE WAS OTHER DEBRIS BURNING IN THE

17 AREA OF THE DOORWAY REMEMBER IT WAS ONE OF THOSE MATS THAT YOU WOULD HANG ON AN ELEVATOR WHEN YOU WERE MOVING ONE OF THOSE WAS PIECE OF THAT BURNING BY THE DOORWAY SO REMEMBER GETTING THE CAN WITH THIS OTHER GUY OFF THE ENGINE REMEMBER TO GET IT OFF YOU HAD TO CLIMB OVER SOME DEBRIS AND KIND OF FORCE IT OUT LIKE IT WAS KIND OF WEDGED IN THERE BUT THERE WAS LOT OF DEBRIS ON IT BUT LIKE SAID STILL DIDNT KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED KNEW THERE WAS MESS OUT THERE THERE WASNT LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE SAID IT DIDNT MAKE SENSE LOT OF THIS STUFF IT WAS LATER IN THE DAY WHEN FOUND OUT WHAT HAPPENED REMEMBERED WAS LIKE YES COME TO THINK OF IT THERE WASNT LOT OF ACTIVITY ON WEST STREET IT WAS LIKE WHITE POWDER DONT REMEMBER CLIMBING RN LC DEBRIS BUT AND THIS GUY OPERATED DONT KNOW MAYBE 10 15 MINUTES IN THAT TIME MCLETCHIE AND JOHN LEANZA CAME OUT OF THE HOTEL WE HAD LITTLE MEETING GUESS IN THE STREET BETWEEN THE LIBERTY STREET WALKWAY BRIDGE AND THE ENTRANCE TO THE HOTEL WHERE WE HAD GONE IN THEY SAID THEY HAD GUY TRAPPED ITS BEEN WHILE NOW IM NOT SURE IF IT WAS THE BOSS OF 55 OR THE BOSS OF 58 ENGINE THEY HAD TRAPPED GUESS HE IDENTIFIED

18 HIMSELF THEY SAID WE NEEDED SOME OTHER GUYS TO GET HIM OUT WITH THAT SOME OTHER GUYS CAME OUT FROM THE DIRECTION OF LIBERTY STREET WALKWAY BRIDGE BELIEVE IT TURNED OUT TO BE 113 WE HAD LITTLE MEETING THEY WERE SAYING WE GOT GUY TRAPPED SOMEWHERE IN THE HOTEL IN THE DIRECTION MORE TOWARDS THE LOBBY AREA REMEMBER THE BOSS TELLING ME AND JOHNNY GO IN WITH THEM AND TRY TO GET HIM OUT TOLD THE BOSS WHY DONT YOU GO BACK BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHERE HE IS IM GOING TO HEAD BACK TO THE RIG BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS WE SAID IF WE GET SEPARATED AT ANY TIME THATS GOING TO BE OUR MEETING GO BACK TO THE RIG JUST BACKTRACKING WHEN WE WERE STILL IN THE HOTEL REMEMBER WAS ABLE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH DAVE KC WAS ABLE TC HIM CM TH RADIC GC HIS VOICE BUT WHAT WE DIDNT DO IS DONT REMEMBER THERE BEING LOT OF RADIO TRAFFIC BUT THERE WAS ENOUGH WHERE COULDNT GET CONVERSATION OUT OF HIM COULDNT HE DIDNT COULDNT GET ENOUGH INFORMATION FOR HIM TO TELL ME WHERE HE WAS OR FOR HIM TO TELL ME THAT THE OTHER TWO GUYS THAT WE WERE MISSING WERE WITH HIM SO HAD RADIO CONTACT WITH HIM AT THAT POINT SO KNEW HE WAS ALIVE BUT DIDNT HAVE ANY

19 CONTACT WITH THE CAN MAN AND THINK IT WAS DAVE THINK HE HAD THE ROOF NOW AFTER WORKING WITH THE GUY ON THIS ENGINE COMPANY REMEMBER WALKING WAS NOW UP ON WEST STREET THERE WERE OF THOSE BIG PIECES OF STEEL THAT WERE STUCK IN THE GROUND THAT YOU SEE IN ALL THE PICTURES REMEMBER WALKING AROUND THAT AND LOOKING AT THOSE AND THINKING IF THEY FALL OVER THEY CAN REACH ME WITH THAT SAW IN THE BACKGROUND WAS THE MARRIOTT HOTEL AND MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS THAT LOOKS LIKE THE OKLAHOMA CITY BUILDING BECAUSE REMEMBER THE WHOLE MIDDLE OF IT JUST SEEMED LIKE IT WAS CARVED OUT SOMEWHERE RIGHT AROUND THAT TIME GOT MAYDAY HEARD MAYDAY TRANSMIT MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY LADDER WITH MAYDAY NCTHC ANSW IT THE MAYDAY CAME AGAIN ANSWERED IT SAID GO AHEAD WITH YOUR MAYDAY HE SAID IM TRAPPED WAS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS DONT KNOW WHERE AM HE GAVE ME HIS NAME IT WAS MIKE BRENNAN BECAUSE SAID WHAT WAS YOUR LAST KNOWN LOCATION HE SAID HE DIDNT KNOW HE WAS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS BUT HE WAS TRAPPED DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT SAID TO HIM AFTER THAT REMEMBER JUST LOOKING AROUND THINKING GOT

20 OR GUYS MISSING DONT KNOW EVEN KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN THERE WAS JUST NOBODY AROUND JUST FELT HELPLESS AT THAT POINT YOU THINK THATS ONE OF THE THINGS SHOULD NOT THINK ABOUT NOW AND AGAIN BUT STARTED TO WALK NORTH ALONG WEST STREET HEADING BACK TO THE RIG FIGURED AT SOME POINT WHEN SEE CHIEF OR WILL TELL SOMEBODY THAT GOT MAYDAY FROM GUY LIKE SAID HAD NO CLUE WHERE THE GUY WAS KEPT WALKING THINKING BACK IT WAS WHITE POWDER DONT REMEMBER CLIMBING OVER MOUNTAINS OF DEBRIS BUT REMEMBER GUESS STEPPING OVER STUFF GOT BACK PASSED THE NORTH TOWER GOT TO THE VESEY STREET WALKWAY PASSED THAT GOT TO OUR RIG WHICH WAS AGAIN DONT REMEMBER EXACTLY HOW FAR BUT IT WAS SOME DISTANCE PAST GC TC TH RIG TH GUYS TH ALSO WITH THIS BACK AT THE HOTEL MCLETCHIE LEANZA AND THE GUYS FROM 113 THEY ENDED UP GOING BACK INTO THE HOTEL TO TRY TO GET THINK IT WAS EITHER THE BOSS OF 58 ENGINE OR 55 HAVE TO ASK THEM DONT REMEMBER NOW SO THEY ARE IN THERE GO BACK TO THE RIG THEY ARE NOT OUR GUYS ARENT THERE SO CONTINUE WALKING NORTH BECAUSE THINK SEE GUYS IN THE

21 DISTANCE GUESS REMEMBER SEEING GUYS SO START WALKING BUT ALSO REMEMBER SEEING JUST LIKE FEW STRAGGLER FIREMEN WALKING BUT NOBODY IS COMING TOGETHER AND SAYING WE GOT TO DO THIS BECAUSE THINK WAS HALF SHELL SHOCKED AND GUESS LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WERE SHORTLY AFTER AS IM WALKING YOU HEAR ANOTHER LOUD BOOM HEAR GUYS BEHIND ME GUESS HEAR SOME COMMOTION BEHIND ME AND TURN AROUND AND SEE GUYS RUNNING TOWARDS ME AGAIN THINK HEAR SOMEBODY SAY ITS COMING DOWN REMEMBER TURNING LOOKING AND LOOKING UP AND SEEING THE DUST CLOUD OPENING UP OVERHEAD WITH THAT GOT THAT SICK FEELING AM JUST LIKE ALL THE WIND IS OUT OF YOU SAYING LIKE HOLY SHIT THRCW TH HALLIGAN DCWN THAT HAD IN MY HAND AND START RUNNING AS FAST AS CAN HEADING NORTH IM REACHING FOR THE SHOULDER STRAPS IM THINKING DONT HAVE MUCH TIME HERE IM GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE SHELTER IM PASSING RIGS IM PASSING CARS GOT THE WAIST STRAP UNDONE NOW IM JUST RUNNING JUST HAVE MY HELMET AND MY BUNKER GEAR PASSED POLICE CAR THINK IT WAS DUCK IN BEHIND THE BACK OF THE POLICE CAR IM

22 THINKING TO MYSELF DONT CLIMB UNDER THE CAR BECAUSE WHEN IT GETS HIT THE CAR IS GOING TO LURCH DONT WANT IT LANDING ON MY BACK JUST GOT ON MY HANDS AND KNEES AGAINST THE BACK OF THE CAR JUST PUT MY HEAD DOWN MORE OR LESS WAITED TO GET CRUSHED AGAIN THEN IT WAS SILENT THEN YOU JUST HEARD CRRRRRRR JUST RUSH OF WIND GETTING LOUDER AND LOUDER AND EVERYTHING IS JUST BLOWING IN NOW YOU GOT HIT WITH THE DUST AGAIN JUST LOT WORSE THAN IT WAS INSIDE BECAUSE NOW THERE WAS GUESS THERE WAS NOTHING REALLY PROTECTING YOU FROM THE DUST BUT REMEMBER THAT BLOWING LIKE HALFWAY DOWN YOUR THROAT TO THE POINT WHERE YOU ARE REALLY GAGGING ON IT BUT IM STILL WAITING FOR HEAVIER PIECES OF DEBRIS TO START FALLING AROUND ME WHICH DIDNT HAPPEN NC IT GC PITCH BLACK HEARING SOMEONE GUESS IT WOULD BE TO MY LEFT SAYING HELP ME HELP ME DONT KNOW WHO IT WAS DIDNT REALLY FIND THAT PERSON REMEMBER STANDING UP AGAIN ITS PITCH BLACK ITS LIKE DONT EVEN KNOW KNOW SOMETHING FELL DOWN BUT STILL DONT KNOW THE BUILDING COMPLETELY FELL DOWN GUESS AT THAT TIME IM THINKING MAYBE PORTION OF THE TOP FELL DOWN WHEN GOT UP CONTINUED WALKING NORTH

23 GUESS ENDED UP ON CHAMBERS STREET SO WAS WALKING IN THAT DIRECTION AND THINK IT WAS AT THAT TIME REMEMBER HELPING AN EMS WORKER PUT ONE OF THEIR PERSONNEL ON ONE OF THE CARRY CHAIRS THEY NEEDED HAND CARRYING HER REMEMBER WALKING AND STEPPING OVER SOME DEBRIS YOU KNOW TO KIND OF HELP WALK REMEMBER FEELING EXHAUSTED SOMEBODY ELSE WALKED UP AND REMEMBER ONLY CARRYING THIS PERSON FOR NOT TOO LONG GRABBING SOMEONE AND SAYING YOU GOT TO HELP HER GOT TO GO AT THAT POINT WAS THINKING GOT TO SEE IF CAN FIND THE GUYS IM WITH AT THAT POINT IM THINKING IM THE ONLY GUY FROM THE COMPANY GOING HOME BECAUSE KNOW THE OTHER TWO GUYS WERE IN THE HOTEL TWO GUYS DONT KNOW WHERE THEY WERE ONE GUY HAD RADIO CONTACT BRIEFLY TH CAME DCWN ENDED UP GETTING UP TO CHAMBERS STREET STILL NOT BEING FULLY AWARE OF WHAT WAS GOING ON REMEMBER TELLING GUYS WAS IN THE HOTEL WHEN PLANE HIT WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR OR SO THE IRONS MAN LEANZA AND MCLETCHIE GOT THEM ON THE RADIO GOT KOYLES THE FIRST GUY HAD GOTTEN RADIO CONTACT WITH AFTER THE FIRST BUILDING CAME DOWN HAD HIM ON THE RADIO BUT TWO OF THE OTHER GUYS WERE STILL NO CONTACT

24 WITH THEM GUESS WITHIN THE NEXT HOURS WE ACCOUNTED FOR ALL THE GUYS ONE GUY ENDED UP AFTER THE FIRST BUILDING CAME DOWN KASEY ENDED UP GETTING ON BOAT AND GOING TO JERSEY HOSPITAL DAVE VITIELLO HE ENDED UP MAKING HIS WAY UP TO CHAMBERS AND WEST STREET SO EVERYBODY WAS TOGETHER REMEMBER SITTING THERE TALKING AND WHEN SAID TO SOMEBODY THAT WAS IN THE HOTEL WHEN PLANE HIT HE SAID WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE PLANE HIT HE GOES BOTH BUILDINGS HAD BEEN HIT ALREADY SAID WHAT DO YOU MEAN SAID WHAT NOISE WERE WE HEARING WHAT WE HEARD WAS THE NOISE OF THAT SOUTH TOWER COMING DOWN AT THAT POINT WE HAD GOTTEN WORD THAT ALL OUR GUYS WERE ACCOUNTED FOR WE STARTED HEARING STORIES THAT SC GUYS MISSING NC GC VERIFICATION THAT KASEY WAS IN THE HOSPITAL REMEMBER TELLING THE BOSS NOW THIS WAS PROBABLY DONT KNOW IF IT WAS AN HOUR OR TWO LATER SAID IM GOING TO TAKE WALK BACK OVER TO WHERE WE WERE BUT AT THIS POINT GUESS WAS KIND OF GUN SHY FROM WALKING DOWN WEST STREET SAID IM GOING TO WALK DOWN ALONG THE WATER AND THEN IM GOING TO COME UP LIKE LIBERTY AND SEE IF CAN SEE ANYTHING

25 REMEMBER WHEN CAME UP LIBERTY TO WEST STREET NOW COULD SEE THIS DEVASTATION THAT DEFINITELY DIDNT SEE TO THAT MAGNITUDE AFTER THE FIRST BUILDING CAME DOWN BUT NOW THERE WAS JUST MOUNTAINS OF STEEL REMEMBER SEEING WHAT TURNED OUT TO BE 10 TRUCK FLIPPED ON ITS SIDE KIND OF TWISTED REMEMBER WALKING ACROSS THE BUMPER OF TAC UNIT THINKING THAT THERE WERE GUYS THAT KNEW IN TAC WHO ACTUALLY DIDNT MAKE IT REMEMBER WALKING ACROSS THE BUMPER OF ONE OF THE TAC UNITS CLIMBING UP ON SOME STEEL AND JUST FIGURING THAT IF KASEY WAS AROUND MAYBE WOULD SEE HIM RAN INTO SOME GUYS FROM OTHER COMPANIES THAT KNEW WHAT WAS LEFT OF THE HOTEL WAS WHAT HAD SEEN OF THE HOTEL WAS NO LONGER STANDING IT WAS JUST PC GUESS WHAT WRNILD XPC SIDE STILL STANDING GUESS LOOKING AT IT IM ON THE WEST SIDE OF WEST STREET NOW LOOKING ACROSS AT THE HOTEL GUESS THE ONE END OF THE HOTEL CLOSEST TO LIBERTY THAT WAS GUESS YOU KNOW THE ONLY REMAINING PORTION OF THE HOTEL THAT WAS STILL STANDING NOW LEANZA AND MCLETCHIE HAD SAID THEY LEFT THE HOTEL BECAUSE THEY NEEDED GENERATOR BECAUSE THE POWER TOOLS THE BATTERY OPERATED TOOLS THAT THEY WERE

26 USING TO TRY TO GET THE BOSS OUT THINK IT WAS 58 BUT WHATEVER THEY RAN OUT OF THE BATTERY POWER WENT DEAD SO THEY WENT LOOKING FOR GENERATOR THEY SAID WHEN THEY CAME OUT THEY WERE NOW BETWEEN THE HOTEL AND THE LIBERTY STREET WALKWAY WHEN THE NORTH TOWER CAME DOWN THEY ENDED UP RUNNING OVER TO THE BASE OF THE PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY AND THEY TOOK SHELTER AT THE BASE OF ONE OF THOSE COLUMNS FORTUNATELY THEY SURVIVED ALSO AFTER THAT ENDED UP GOING BACK OVER TO LIKE CHAMBERS AND WEST STAYED THERE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS WANTING TO DO SOMETHING BUT IT WAS JUST AT THIS POINT MY EYES WERE STARTING TO BOTHER ME PROBABLY AROUND OCLOCK THAT NIGHT GUESS IT WAS 830 ME MCLETCHIE AND IM NOT SURE WHO ELSE FEW OF US ENDED UP TAKING RIDE TO THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE THAT AFT HAD MY FLUSHED LIKE THREE OR FOUR TIMES AT THE STUYVESANT HIGH SCHOOL AND THEN ENDED UP GOING TO THE HOSPITAL TO HAVE THEM CHECKED AGAIN WHERE HAD MY EYES FLUSHED AGAIN REMEMBER GREGG MCLETCHIE HE HAD BUMP ON HIS HEAD ATTENDED TO WENT TO BELLEVUE HOSPITAL ENDED UP COMING BACK TO QUARTERS PROBABLY ABOUT 11 1130 FOR THE FIRST TIME SAW IT ON TV THE ACTUAL PLANES HITTING THE BUILDINGS AND ACTUALLY SEEING THEM COLLAPSE

27 TO THE POINT WHERE THEY JUST COMPLETELY PANCAKED SAID LIKE COULDNT BELIEVE THAT THE BUILDINGS CAME DOWN BECAUSE REMEMBER SITTING THERE IN THE AFTERNOON LOOKING UP AT THE SMOKE TELLING PEOPLE WHATS LEFT OF THE BUILDINGS MUST BE UP IN THE SMOKE BECAUSE DONT SEE ANYTHING THEN SOME OTHER THINGS MADE SENSE LIKE WHEN CAME OUT OF THE HOTEL NOW REALIZE WHY IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS SO QUIET BECAUSE NOBODY WAS LEFT THERE ANYBODY THAT WAS IN THE COMMAND POST GUESS THEY GOT BLOWN DOWN THE DRIVEWAYS AND THEY PROBABLY HADNT DUSTED THEMSELVES OFF YET THE PIECE OF AIRPLANE THAT ORIGINALLY SAW COMING OUT OF THE TUNNEL NOW IT MADE SENSE AT THE TIME IT DIDNT MAKE SENSE BUT THAT PIECE OF AN AIRPLANE WAS WAY TC BIG FC TH TYPE PLANE THAT ENVISIONED HITTING THIS BUILDING ITS LIKE YOU KNOW ITS JUMBO JET COME TO THINK OF IT THAT PIECE OF PLANE LOOKED LIKE IT CRUSHED HALF THAT CAR AND REMEMBER THAT FIRST PIECE OF INTESTINE THAT SAW WAS THINKING AT THAT MOMENT THAT MUST BE THE PILOT OF THE PLANE THEN FIND OUT ITS ALL THIS AND REALIZE OH MY GOD ALL THESE PEOPLE GOT THROWN OUT OF THE

28 BUILDING AND THE NOISE HEARD WAS THE SOUND OF THE TOWER COMING DOWN AND THE OTHER BUILDING WAS COMING DOWN THINK THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH MY DAY BATTALION CHIEF BURNS OKAY KEVIN THANKS FOR THE INTERVIEW THE TIME IS 421 PM