Student essay on 9/11 photography, Oct 2001

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Gmimemctnitiw cditiim by die students of Stuv\t!sant I lighSdxxil

Amid Chaos, Custodians Lend Helping Hands As I reached the senior bar, my friend JoJo told me that the crowd of people gathered John Lee In front of her had all entered the building bearing reports Oct. 24—Tuesday, September H, started off as a which finally allowed the water pumps to be of a plane that had hit the normal day for Stuyvesant’s custodial staff. The turned on. World Trade Center. I morning shift began at 6:00 a.m. It seemed that From that point on, everybody, according to thought it was a joke. Or a the only thing that would pose a major problem Hogan, simply’‘made themselves useful.” little plane, one of those tiny that day was a malfunctioning passenger eleva- “We basically had to do anything we could things that carry maybe J tor. do,” he said. “There was too much to do at all seven people. I thought it i But when word got out that planes had times, so there was never any reason to not be would have bounced right off ' struck the World Trade Center, that day became busy.” the tower.... More crying the beginning of a three-week restoration effort In addition to mopping behind other emer- now. My best friend's dad is on the part of our school janitors. gency workers and making sure everything was in the building. We don't From the day of the attacks until October 1, clean, the custodians set up numerous tables on Stuyvesant’s 30 custodians worked 24-hour the stage of the theater, which served as a tern- know where. The phones are shifts for the first week, followed by 12-hour porary headquarters for the fire and police down. I have no idea what to shifts. forces. do so I actually go to my next “After the first day, I left here Wednesday, The custodians were quick to mention that class. We were able to watch 9:00 at ni^t, and I was back here at 6:00 the next while they worked, humanitarian groups like the the news there. There was a morning,* said Chief Engineer Thomas Bulger, American Red Cross helped them out. live setup, a woman describ­ who is part of the morning staff and was among “The first day, we didn’t have enough sup- ing what she had seen as she the seven custodians who had been in the build- plies, but a couple of days later, we had too escaped from Tower One. ing as the disaster unfolded. much of everything,” said Bulger. “The Church Bloody people. She screams. According to Bulger, the first order of busi- of Scientology was absolutely outstanding. They The camera pans towards the ness as the towers began to collapse had been to were giving massages, they had chiropractors make sure that everybody got out of the building here, they were giving out toothpaste, tooth- tower and something hap­ during the evacuation. From then on, the custo- brushes, towels, you name it.” pens. The TV goes off, the dians worked to secure the building until they But despite all their work, a number of cus- lights go off, the floor shakes. were advised by the police to evacuate the build- todians were saddened by the fact that certain I grabbed onto my friend's ing as well. According to Custodial Engineer New York City newspapers had referred to hand and started crying Peter Lopa. the police were taking precautions Stuyvesant as being “closed.” again.... I just remember, as against neighboring gas mains that had suffered “This building wasn’t closed at all. just off- we were running up West structural damage and posed a possible hazard, limits to the students and teachers.” said Hogan. Street, I turned back, expect­ “We left the building and we were walking up the “There were still people inside this building. ing to see one burning tower, West Side like everybody else was.” Bulger said. working hard to make everything clean.” and all I could see was smoke The custodians managed to get back into “The papers should have gotten their facts the school with the help of Custodial Supervisor straight.” added Bulger. “This building was des­ and dust. Jerry Berke. who had stayed in the building the ignated by the OEM [Office of Emergency Every night, though, I make whole time. The custodians immediately offered Management] back in ‘96 or ‘97 as an emergency myself stay up as late as I can their services. building during the whole Y2K situation. So it In order to avoid any difficul­ “The first thing was to get to the bath- wasn’t actually closed.” ty In falling asleep or any rooms.” said custodian Kyle Hogan. “Because we As the relief efforts and the cleaning process nightmares. I am scared to be didn’t have any electricity in the building, none finally came to an end on October 1. the custodi- alone. I try to see my friends of the toilets could flush.” ans were pleased with the amount of work that and do fun, "normal" things “All the firemen and cops were coming in to they had put in. to get my mind off of what use the bathrooms, and guys had to come in to “What we did for these people. I feel very happened. It works temporar­ clean.” said custodian Michael Scoma. “I can’t good about it,” said Bulger. “We did a good job.** begin to describe the filth.” However, the effects of remaining in the ily. I am no stranger to grief, The building’s electricity, as well as all the neighborhood for an extended period of time as my mother died when I power, had been cut once 7 World Trade Center have become evident, as many members of the was eleven. Yet each day I fell, leaving much of the school without power custodial staff suffer from residual symptoms think "OK, I've passed that until an emergency generator was turned on. such as headaches, sore throats, and nausea stage where it upsets me so But even with backup power on, many of the upon smelling the air. much. I won't cry anymore." school’s services remained off, including the “I’m no expert, but when you come home And each day I'm wrong. waterpumps. and your nose is bleeding and your head is Each day I have cried just a “The emergency generators only provide pounding, that ain’t psychosomatic,” said little bit more, power for the elevators, corridor lights, and Bulger. “There’s something wrong,” —Jessica Copperman, senior stairway lights,” explained Bulger. “They’re not But despite the chaos, the illness, and the designed to run the building, per se. but rather lack of recognition, the custodians have man- fare designed to] help with evacuations and aged to see the whole situation in a positive We need to take action; this other emergency situations, which we had.” light. isn't a time to sit back and Without water, and with little food and rest, “The camaraderie was just amazing,” said see what happens. Enough is the custodial staff worked under what they Hogan. “People pulled togetner like you would- enough. describe as “extreme conditions.” Some worked n’t believe.” —Tai Itzkovich, senior two to three days straight without going home. Scoma agreed. “We did what we had to do,” Later that week, with the help of the police, he said. “We worked out hearts out, and we’re another generator was set up outside the school, happy with what we did.”

The Spectator • Fall looi 7

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