DEP organizational chart for 9/11 emergency response, Sept 2001

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■D o c o CT o o' cn K3 cn 00 ides work round the clock to keep city running ■D o 3. 03

o o By DAVID SEIFMAN Trade Center just before the o c and MAGGIE HABERMAN second plane hit during Tues­ 3 While Mayor Giuliani has day’s terror. CD been the public face of the city Looking up, they saw what in the wake of the terror crisis, they thought was confetti fall­ he’s been bolstered by a crack ing. It was actually metal teani of low-profile advisers shards, 4 feet long. who’ve been working with him Von Essen, who has lost most around the clock. of his department’s hierarchy Sleep-deprived and shaken by and as many as 350 firefighters the scope of the horror, Giuliani in the collapse, might have died and his crisis squad have been himself if he hadn’t had to leave working 18 hours a day to keep the scene to catch up with Giuli­ the rescue efforts — and the ani. rest of New York — on Others featured at the table It’s a task made more daunting range from top economic advis­ by the fact that entire offices of ers — Deputy Mayors Anthony some city agencies were wiped Coles and Robert Harding, and out in the World Trade Center economic adviser John Dyson — disaster. All of the mayor’s team mem­ And many add that they haven’t safety, fires and traffic — there casionally crack through the to Transportation Commis­ bers have quickly adapted to the read any of the newspapers; are usually five agencies in- armor they’ve worn for three sioner Iris Weinshall, wife of makeshift nerve center at a se­ they simply haven’t had time. volved, and the needs shift by days. Some weep in private, Sea Charles Schumer. Early each morning, they con­ the hour. while others wear the pain viv- There’s also the task of run­ cret location far from their base near City Hall. duct a planning meeting with Only twice have the gather- idly on their faces. ning the rest of the city, which “What amazes me is that the “an extraordinary sense of ur­ ings included “outsiders” — a Some of them were nearly falls largely on Deputy Mayor enormity of the task does not af­ gency,” spokeswoman Sunny congressional delegation and ' killed themselves. Joseph Lhota. Also part of the fect the ability of people to get Mindel said. several city business leaders. Kerik, whose agency is one of small inner circle is Giuliani’s the job done,” said one adminis­ 'The sessions consist of Constantly at Giuliani’s side the most critical to Giuliani’s chief of Staff, Anthony Carbon- tration official, who said the roughly 50 agency heads and ad­ are Police Commissioner Ber- operation, lost up to 40 officers. etti, who helps keep everything meetings are marked by “inten­ visers, the governor and federal nard Kerik, Fire Commissioner The veteran cop, who is work­ going. sity” and "determination.” officisils, with the mayor leading Thomas Von Essen and Office ing with federal agencies on the Lhota’s wife, Tamra, and Giu­ The group goes home for a the sit-downs. of Emergency Management country’s biggest crime scene, liani adviser Larry Levy are co­ few hours each ni^t, but sleep For each issue that has to be head Richard Sheirer. was standing with Von Essen ordinating charitable donations hasn’t come easily, they say. addressed — such as transit. The stress and the horror oc- and others in front of 7 World related to the tragedy.