Newspaper article on NYC Authority clean air projects in Queens,

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I O Nearly four years after they were made, the STATIC-FILLED emergency o o c 3 radio transmissions have the visceral power of immediacy, as if 9/11 was only yesterday. <D

They are difficult to take in, even, or especially, today. Nearly 33M)O INNOCENTS were killed, including 343 MEMBERS of the New York City fire service. For all their painful effects on the survivors of that day. on the listeners, transmissions — w-I sna MINUTES worth gathered from five different dispatch centers — HS tSi J I reveal the BUSINESS-AS-USUAL BRAVERY and stoicism of those who worked at the front lines when time seemed to slow to a crawl, and history changed course. IWI W F OS C -^1? '' Excerpted here, those voices tell a story like no other. IO RIS pg - I. a■ 8:46 a.m. DUpateber: Fteldcoci, we’re U^: American Airlines Flight not able to raise Division Three fl? i No. U hits 1 World Trade Messer^er Van regaidlne the . extra handy walkie-talldea. J Center, the North Tower, &-■

prompting calls from lower Fieldcom: 10-4. S ’ Manhattan’s first battoUon and other firefighters to the Fire Dupartirienf centoral dis­ UnWentlfiedk (Inaudible) ... three to Manhattan, urgent. I i patch center la that bor­ ough. ^ttallon 1; Battalion 1 to One of the buildings is partially collapsed.... the area... Dispatcher: Identify your­ 4 c« 1 1 Manhattan. self. Dispatcher: Battalion 1. Battalion 1: We just had a plane crash into an uppjr floor Unidentified: (inaudible) ... three. A major collapse in one of the towers. [■/Liiif '1" f @ •t Vs iIb' 51

of the World Trade Center. Dispatcher: Which tower? (American Airlines Fft^ 11 hit Unidentified: Tower Two.

s srS u nel /’ W 9/11 (2 WTC, or south tower] « ■

a the 1 World Trade Center, the North Tower-1 i «• It ’ Sanchez; Battalion 1. Battalion 1: The World 'Dade Center Tower 1 Is on fire. The 9:49 aun. Unidentified Ffrefi^ten Tommy, have you made it back Ki I v:.'' whole outside of the building. There was a huge explosion. down to the lobby? Tommy: The elevator’s screwed up. w 8:48 a.m. Firefighter: You can’t move Utudentified voice Be ad­ it? vised. from my location now I Tommy: I don't want to get can see heavy smoke coming *♦» window’ ledges, evidently male that needed to be trans- stuck in the shaft. from the building of the World Trade Center . -. heavy, heavy Three Truck We’re at Hous- ton and West Broadway. We wills no way out Battalion 2: Battalion 2 to ported,.. This is horrible. Firefighter: AU right. Tommy. It’s imperative that SiWa A .i*. ta. £6 damage to the upper portion of can see it from here. Wevc Manhattan 9:34 a.m. you try to get down to the gw.:. - _ i the building. been directed by numerous ci­ Dispatcher; Battalion 2 — go. Dispatcher: Manhattan to En- lobby command post and some ee • ft' * I s*; :

vilians. Do you want us to take Battalion 2: Be advised, wc gine 228 people up to 40. We got injured Battalion 1: We have a num­ this in or do you wants us to have jumpers. Jumpers. E^ne 228: Engine 228. people up here on 70. If you -J ber of floors on fire. It looked like the plane was ahmag to­ stand fast? Dispatcher: Take that in. Dispatcher: Division E be ad- vised we have jumpers from Dispatcher: What’s your loca- tion? mafc? it to the lobby command post, see if they can somehow 1^6 ward the building. Transmit a the World Trade Center. Engine 228: We just — Bat- get the elevators past the 40th third alarm. We’ll have the stag- Dispatcher: Incoming units. Division 1: Division 1 to Man- tcry 'I'unnel. floor. We got people injured all ing area at Vesey and West be advised. Visible flames from hattan. Those jumpers, did Dispatcher All right, 228, is (he way up here. Street Have the third alarm go to that area. Have the second alarm @3 to the buildup area. the side of the building. *»♦ Dispatcher. Manhattan call­ tlKy already jump? Dispatcher. Division I. Battal- ion 2 is advising jumpers down. it possible you can get to the Marriott Hotel. No. 2 World Trade Center? Firefighters 9:59 ajn. After Two World Trade Cen­ rnr- t. Dispatcher: Second alarm as­ signment, report to World Trade Center. Second alarm re- prwrt to 1 World Trade Center. ing Division 1. Manhattan cali- Ing Division L Manhattan call- h^ Division 1. (Silence) 9:03 a js. United Airlines Flight 175 hits 2 World Trade Center, trapped. Rescue workers arriving on the scene encounter ter. south tower, collapses. Marine 6: Marine 6 to Man* hattan. Dispatcher: Manhattan to JbU SJiUdNit C,-W

r Battalion h First Bartallon. It looks like it was intentionaL Ail units going into the box. It could 1^ a terror attack. Dispatcher 110 to Manhat- tan. Go with your message. 110: Whatever it was mt the known as the smith tower. or Tower Two. Cemral Dispatcher; We’ve got another plane? 10 Oscar, an- chaos. Call dispatcher: 12 Charlie. Be advised I have seven ambu­ lances, seven ambulances no Fieldcom. Marine 6; Marine 6 (o Man­ hattan. Urgent. Tower Two has bad a major explosion and so I

north side of the building ... other plane? Two of them... an- bosses sitting on West Street what appears to be a complete

s Dispatcher: 10-4. All units be advis^... flfc at least one floor, heavy other one! and Vessley (sicl Street. West collapse... *4* smoke all over the front and and Vessley. We have no boss­ I World Trade Center re- fhetopofthebuiJding,approxi- 9:05 a-tn. es, seven ambulances and no Dtepatchen Box 8084. what »enihtesa^ant,flaniingclga- rette, the fire and smoke bringfaig a biteard of .calls rmitely the 90-somethlng floor. *** Dispatcher; Floor No. 106. Central Dispatcher: We’re been told by numerous people a second aliplane. a second air- idea what to do. Radio communications is the command post? Box 8084 (clicking, then silence) Dispatcher: I need the loca­ iS. R Ti from firehouses not yet dis- patched. At the scents FDNY supervisors call for re- Numerous people trapped. Unldendfie± We’re going to plane, went in on the other side of the World Trade Center. are faulty, leaving some tire- fighters unable to give infor­ mation to their command- tion of the command post. Unknown voice (yeiling): Explosion! ilw inforcements. need the PD IPolice Depart­ 9:18 a.m. ers, or to receive it. Erispatcher: Car 65 com­ Engine 10; Engine 1-0. ment! fur security around the Caller to Central Dispatch: Dispatcher; Division Three mand post is Church and Ful­ Dispatcher: Engine 1-0. entire World Trade Center... Fm inside the subway station Messenger Van.. .(static)...? ton, Church and Fulton. < Engine 10: Roll every avail­ Dispatcher. 10-4. on the comer of Vesey and Dispatchers Manhattan to Vokxiown voice: Citywide. able ambulance that you got to »*• Church. I have three aided Fieldcom. this position. People are seen jumping downstairs, two females, one Fiddeom: Fieldcom. from World Trade C^ter See EXCERPTS on 18 People run for their lives as the World Trade Center’s south tower coNdpses.

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