FILE NO 9110487

WORLD TRADE CENTER TASK FORCE INTERVIEW

CAPTAIN PAUL CONLON

INTERVIEW DATE JANUARY 26 2002

TRANSCRIBED BY LAURIE COLLINS

CONLON

CHIEF MCGRATH TODAYS DATE IS JANUARY

23RD 2002 THE TIME IS 1450 HOURS THIS

IS BATTALION CHIEF JAMES MCGRATH OF THE FIRE

DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK IM

CONDUCTING AN INTERVIEW WITH CAPTAIN PAUL

CONLON OF ENGINE 216

THIS INTERVIEW IS TAKING PLACE IN

BROOKLYN HEADQUARTERS AT NINE METROTECH AND

ITS REGARDING THE EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE ON

SEPTEMBER 11TH 2001

CAP IF YOU WOULD PLEASE STATE YOUR

NAME AND JUST RECALL THE EVENTS TO THE BEST OF

YOUR RECOLLECTION

PAUL CONLON CAPTAIN AND WAS WORKING

IN 216 ENGINE SA ON SEPTEMBER 11TH

WE SAW THE FIRST PLANE HIT ON TV WE

WATCHED ACTUALLY FROM THE ROOF THE BUILDING

BURN THE ROOF OF THE FIREHOUSE 216 ENGINE NOT

KNOWING THE AREA DIDNT KNOW WHEN WE WERE

GOING TO RESPOND SO WENT DOWN AND STARTED TO

DO RIDING LIST AND ROLL CALL AND STUFF IN

CASE WE HAD TO EITHER RESPOND OR RELOCATE

THEN HEARD QUYS YELLINQ HOLY

SMOKES WENT IN THE KITCHEN AND THE SECOND

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PLANE HAD JUST HIT WATCHED THAT ON TV AT

THAT POINT CALLED THE ROLL CALL IN FRONT OF THE

RIG GAVE OUT THE RIDING POSITIONS WITH THE

HELP OF DAN SUHR HE WAS THE SENIOR MAN WORKING

ACTUALLY HAD WORKED WITH 216 THE DAY BEFORE SO

MET HIM THE DAY BEFORE HE WAS WORKING BOTH

DAYS

DAN HAD THE CONTROL OR THE HOOKUP AS

HE CALLED IT TED MURRAY WAS THE CHAUFFEUR CHRIS

WAS THE NOZZLE AND TONY SANSEVIRO WAS THE

BACKUP JOHN JOHNSON WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DETAILED

TO ANOTHER COMPANY DONT KNOW WHERE WE GOT

MESSAGE FROM THE BATTALION EVERYBODY WAS GOING TO

RIDE WITH FIVE JOHN JOHNSON WAS PROBY

GAVE HIM THE DOOR HE WAS GOING TO BE OUR FIFTH

MAN

THEN WE GOT THE RUN TO RESPOND TO THE

WORLD TRADE CENTER TOLD THE GUYS WE ARE

EIGHTH OR NINTH DUE ON FIFTH ALARM TOLD THEM

TO BRING THEIR SHOES WE WOULD BE THERE WHILE

WE TAKE OFF WE TOOK BROADWAY WE TOOK THE

WILLIAMSBURG BRIDGE SWITCHED OVER TO

MANHATTAN FREQUENCY RIQHT WAY BECAUSE IT WAS

MANHATTAN BOX

CONLON

AS WE WERE GOING UP TO THE WILLIAMSBURG

BRIDGE JUST PICTURED THERE WAS GOING TO BE

LOT OF TRAFFIC THE WILLIAMSBURG BRIDGE WAS

CLOSED TO ALL TRAFFIC ALREADY EXCEPT FOR US

EXCEPT FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT

SO WENT BACK TO BROOKLYN FREQUENCY

AND TRIED TO GET THROUGH TO LET THEM KNOW THAT

THE WILLIAMSBURG BRIDGE IS GOOD ROUTE INTO

MANHATTAN TRIED TWO OR THREE TIMES AND

COULDNT GET THROUGH WANTED TO GET BACK TO

MANHATTAN TO SEE IF THEY HAD ANY MESSAGES

NEVER GOT THAT MESSAGE THROUGH

WENT BACK TO MANHATTAN FREQUENCY AND

THEY WERE TELLING US THAT UNITS RESPONDING TO TWO

WORLD TRADE CENTER THE FIFTH ALARM FOR TWO WORLD

TRADE CENTER REPORT IN TO WEST AND LIBERTY AND

REPORT IN TO CHIEF BARBARA AT WEST AND LIBERTY

GUESS WAS THINKING THEY DONT WANT TO GET US

CONFUSED WITH THE ONE WORLD TRADE CENTER

RESPONSE

SO WHEN HEARD THAT KNEW WANTED

TO APPROACH FROM THE SOUTH SO WE WOULDNT BE

QETTINQ MUCKED UP WITH THE ONE WORLD TRADE CENTER

RESPONSE SO THATS WHAT WE DID WE GOT OFF THE

CONLON

BRIDGE WE MADE LEFT PROBABLY ON ALLEN

STREET HEADING THAT WAY HEADING SOUTH THINK

WE MADE OUR WAY OVER TO SOUTH STREET STILL

HEADING SOUTH

WHEN WE GOT AROUND THE SOUTH STREET

SEAPORT IT WAS ALL BLOCKED UP NOT JUST WITH

TRAFFIC BUT WITH CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL WE

COULDNT GET DOWN THE BLOCK SO WE HAD TO GO

WEST LITTLE BIT

NOW WE WENT DOWN WHATEVER BLOCK THAT

IS MAYBE BROADWAY DONT KNOW WHATEVER IT

WAS WE WENT DOWN THE BLOCK WE GOT TO ABOUT THE

SOUTH FERRY AND WE HAD SOME TROUBLE GETTING

THROUGH TRAFFIC GOT OUT OF THE RIG TO TRY TO

GET US THROUGH AND DAN SUHR GOT OUT HE SAID

ILL GO TO THE LEFT SAID ILL GO TO THE

RIGHT WELL TRY TO FIND WAY TO GET OUT WE

WERE STUCK IN GRIDLOCK

GOT TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT AGENT HE

STOPPED SOME TRAFFIC SO WE GET THROUGH JUMP

BACK ON THE RIG NOW WE GOT RIGHT THERE NOW SO

NOW WE RE ON WEST STREET WE PARKED ABOUT THREE

BLOCKS FROM THE WORLD TRADE CENTER BECAUSE THERE

WAS SPOT THERE TO PARK THERE WERE RIGS THERE

CONLON

ALREADY TOLD THE CHAUFFEUR TO STOP HERE

WELL PARK HERE

WE GOT OFF THE RIG WE PARKED THE GUYS

GOT THEIR GEAR AND WE START WALKING UP WE

PROBABLY WALKED UP ABOUT THOUGHT IT WAS TWO

BLOCKS OR SO AT THIS POINT TRUCK GOES BLOWING

BY US IT WAS EITHER 105 OR LOZ AS SAW THE

TRUCK GO BY THOUGHT BOY WE PROBABLY SHOULD

HAVE TRIED TO PARK CLOSER BECAUSE WERE GOING TO

BE DOING LOT OF WALKING YOU KIND OF SECOND

GUESS YOURSELVES SOMETIMES BUT WE DIDNT

SO WE WALK UP WE FIND CHIEF BARBARA

ALTHOUGH THEY SAID WEST AND LIBERTY HE WASNT

NORTH OF THE SOUTH PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE HE WAS

SOUTH OF THAT BRIDGE SO HE WAS SOMEWHERE ALONG

WEST STREET BETWEEN ALBANY AND LIBERTY WHEN WE

REPORTED IN TO HIM

THERE WERE TWO OTHER COMPANIES THERE

TWO ENGINE COMPANIES 205 AND 217 CHIEF BARBARA

TOLD ME QUICK TELL YOUR GUYS TO PUT THEIR GEAR

DOWN OPEN UP THEIR COATS WERE GOING TO BE

HERE FOR LITTLE WHILE TURNED AROUND WE

ALL HAD AN EXTRA CYLINDER WITH US AND THE QUYS

HAD THEIR ROLLUPS

CONLON

STARTED TO GIVE THAT ORDER PUT MY

CYLINDER DOWN AND STARTS OPENING UP MY COAT AND

THE CHIEF SAID OH NOPE YOURE GOING TO GO

INTO THE LOBBY COMMAND POST NOW SAID ALL

RIGHT SO BUTTONED MY COAT PICKED UP MY

CYLINDER THE OTHER GUYS NEVER EVEN PUT THEIR

STUFF DOWN WE SAID UKAY LETS GOHE POINTED TO THE LOBBY COMMAND POST

AGAIN YOU COULD SEE THE ENTRANCE YOU CAN POINT

TO THE LOBBY COMMAND POST HE POINTED TO THE

ENTRANCE OF TWO WORLD TRADE CENTER FROM WHERE

HE WAS STANDING YOU COULD SEE IT IT WAS

PROBABLY 200 YARDS OR SOMETHING

LOOK AT IT THERES BURNING DEBRIS

EVERYWHERE THERE WAS AN ENGINE COMPANY NORTH OF

US NORTH OF THAT PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE PUTTING

SOMETHING OUT PUTTING OUT CAR FIRE OR LARGE

THING OF RUBBISH OR SOMETHING THERE WAS BURNING

DEBRIS ON THE GROUND THERE WERE PEOPLE JUMPING

SO WERE LOOKING AT THE SCENE AND DAN

SUHR SAID SOMETHING LIKE LETS MAKE THIS

QUICK WAS THINKING THE SAME THING SAID

TO THE QUYS LETS QO WE START WALKINQ WE

WALKED IN DIAGONAL LINE STRAIGHT FROM THE

CONLON

COMMAND POST TO THE ENTRANCE OF TWO WORLD TRADE

CENTER

WERE WALKING 216 WERE KIND OF

LEADING THE WAY NOT SO MUCH LEADING THE WAY

BUT WE JUST HAPPENED TO BE WALKING FIRST THE

OTHER GUYS WERE STILL PUTTING THEIR GEAR ON

GUESS Z05 AND Z17 WERE RIGHT WITH US THOUGH

SOMEWHERE LITTLE BEHIND US THOUGH THERE WERE

NO COMPANIES IN FRONT OF ME AS WALKED

WE GOT ABOUT HALFWAY THERE AND DAN

SUHR GETS HIT WITH JUMPER HE WAS RIGHT TO MY

RIGHT AND BEHIND ME IT WAS AS IF HE EXPLODED

IT WASNT LIKE YOU HEARD SOMETHING FALLING AND

YOU COULD JUMP OUT OF THE WAY HE GETS HIT

THE GUYS ARE LIKE OH FUCK THEY

DROP THEIR ROLLUPS DROP THE CYLINDER ME AND

ANOTHER GUY LOOK AT EACH OTHER AND AT THE SAME

TIME WE BOTH SAID LETS GET HIM UNDERNEATH THE

SCAFFOLDING THERE WAS SCAFFOLDING ACROSS THE

WAY ON THE NORTH SIDE OF 90 WEST STREET AT THAT

TIME THERE WAS SCAFFOLDING UP

SO WE GO TO PICK HIM UP HES BIG

QUY OTHER FIREMEN STOPPED TO HELP US PICK HIM

UP DIDNT KNOW WHO AT THAT TIME IVE HEARD

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WHO SINCE THINK ALL OF 205 ENGINE STOPPED TO

HELP US PICK HIM UP AND THINK TWO MEMBERS OF

217 STOPPED TO HELP US

DONT KNOW WHO HELPED ACTUALLY PICK

HIM UP OR WHO HELPED DO OTHER STUFF WE WERE

TAKING HIS COAT OFF WE WERE PICKING HIM UP

SOMEONE PICKED UP HIS HELMET AND THINGS LIKE

THAT

CALLED ENGINE 216 TO COMMAND POST

MAYDAY HAVE MEMBER WITH LIFE THREATENING

INJURY ONE OF THE GUY SAYS HE STILL HAS

PULSE THEY TOOK HIS PULSE RIGHT ON THE GROUND

THERE WE GOT HIM UNDER THE SCAFFOLDING

WHEN CALLED THE MAYDAY ALSO CALLED

FOR AN AMBULANCE AT WEST AND LIBERTY BECAUSE

THEY COULDNT HAVE GOTTEN AN AMBULANCE ANY CLOSER

TO US DIDNT REALIZE WHERE LIBERTY WAS

REALLY THOUGHT WAS AT LIBERTY GUESS

WAS AT ALBANY

CALLED FOR THE AMBULANCE CALLED

THE MAYDAY WE GET HIM UNDER THE SCAFFOLDING

TWO GUYS COME RUNNING UP WITH LONG BOARD TWO

FIREMEN CAME RUNNINQ UP WITH AN ORANQE LONQ

BOARD THEY MUST HAVE GOTTEN IT OFF THEIR RIG

CONLON 10

THINK THEY WERE FROM 217

WE PUT THE LONG BOARD DOWN WE PUT HIM

ON THE LONG BOARD WE TAKE OFF HIS COAT AND HIS

MASK WHATEVER WASNT OFF ALREADY THE GUYS WERE

DOING CPR THE AMBULANCE CAME UP PRETTY QUICKLY

THEY CAME RUNNING DOWN THE BLOCK TWO MEDICS OR

THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN EMTS THEY WERE MEDICS

TWO MEDICS CAME RUNNING DOWN THE BLOCK

WITH STRETCHER THEY PUT THE STRETCHER DOWN

WE PICKED UP THE LONG BOARD PUT IT ON WE STRAP

HIM ON ONE OF THE MEDICS OPENS UP HIS BAG AND

STARTS GOING THROUGH HIS PROTOCOL HES STARTING

TO TAKE OUT SYRINGES YOU KNOW SAID TO HIM

LETS JUST GET HIM TO THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE

VERY OFTEN THEY GO THROUGH THAT PROTOCOL AND IT

TAKES LONG TIME HE SAID YEAH YOURE

RIGHT SO HE CLOSES UP HIS BAG

WE WHEEL HIM TO THE AMBULANCE AND PUT

HIM IN THE AMBULANCE AS WE WERE PUTTING HIM IN

AS THE GUYS WERE PUTTING HIM IN CALLED AGAIN

216 TO COMMAND POST FOR POLICE ESCORT

BECAUSE IT TOOK US LONG TIME WE HIT LOT OF

TRAFFIC QETTINQ THERE AND JUST PICTURED THEM

HAVING TROUBLE GETTING OUT OF THERE

CONLON 11

RIGHT AS CALLED FOR IT HIGHWAY

COP TALKED TO CHIEF BARBARA AGAIN

HIGHWAY COP COMES BY AND FLAG HIM DOWN HE

COMES SHOOTING OVER TELL HIM WHAT WE WANT TO

DO DIDNT KNOW WHERE THEY WERE GOING YET

ASKED THE EMT WHERE ARE YOU GOING HE SAID

ST VINCENTS WENT BACK AND SAID THEYRE

GOING TO ST VINCENTS IS THAT ALL RIGHT SO

HE WINDS HIS WAY IN FRONT OF THE AMBULANCE

WHEN GOT BACK TO THE AMBULANCE

DR KELLY WAS IN THERE DONT KNOW WHERE SHE

CAME FROM SHES STILL KIND OF JUST ABOUT ABOUT

STEPPING OUT SHES LOOKING AT HIM SHE GOES TO

STEP OUT HELP HER DOWN SHE LOOKED AT ME

GAVE ME SHAKE OF THE HEAD LIKE HES NOT GOING

TO MAKE IT

TWO GUYS FROM 216 ARE IN THERE DOING

CPR AND CLOSED THE DOORS AND THE AMBULANCE

TAKES OFF LOOK AROUND AND ITS ME AND THE

PROBY THATS THE ONLY GUY THATS LEFT LOOK

AT OUR GEAR WHERE WE DROPPED IT WHICH IS BETWEEN

US AND THE ENTRANCE THINK WE CAN GET THAT IN

MINUTE

SAID LETS GO BACK TO THE RIG AND

CONLON 12

WELL REGROUP WELL FIND THE CHAUFFEUR SO WE

START WALKING BACK AND THE BUILDING CAME DOWN

THAT WAS IT WE JUST STARTED RUNNING IM

SAYING HAIL MARYS DONT KNOW IF WAS SAYING

THEM OUT LOUD OR TO MYSELF

WE START RUNNING AND WERE ON WEST

STREET WEST AND LIBERTY WERE RIGHT AT THE

CORNER OF 90 WEST STREET THERES THAT BLANK

AREA THERE THATS PARKING LOT THERE WERE CARS

PARKED THERE THINK IN THE PARKING LOT

WE START RUNNING 15 TRUCK IS PARKED

IN FRONT OF US AS WE START TO RUN FOR MINUTE

WAS GOING TO DIVE UNDER IT AND DIDNT BUT

WENT AROUND LIKE THE RIGHT SIDE OF IT AND THE

PROBY WENT AROUND THE LEFT SIDE OF IT HE IS

TALLER THAN ME AND HES YOUNGER SO HES RUNNING

FASTER WHICH IS GOOD HES AHEAD OF ME

BUT WHEN WE GOT AROUND TO THE OTHER

SIDE OF THE RIG YOU CANT SEE ANYTHING NOW

THOUGHT MAY HAVE SEEN HIM OFF TO MY LEFT BUT

WASNT EVEN SURE IM JUST RUNNING NOW THE

DUST IS ALL AROUND US SO DONT KNOW WHERE HE

IS

MAKE MY WAY BACK TO THE RIG WHICH

CONLON 13

WAS PROBABLY PARKED GUESS BETWEEN RECTOR AND

CARLISLE AS IM LOOKING AT IT BECAUSE WE WERE

ABOUT THREE BLOCKS FROM THE BUILDING GOT BACK

TO THE RIG FOUND THE CHAUFFEUR SAID IS

THE PROBY HERE HE SAID NO THEN REALIZE

THE CHAUFFEUR DOESNT EVEN KNOW THAT DAN SUHR IS

PROBABLY DEAD

JUST SAID TO HIM DANS HE SAID

WHERE ARE THE OTHER GUYS SAID DAN WAS HIT

BY SOMETHING HES HURT HES HURT PRETTY

BADLY SAID HES HURT HE SAID HOW

BAD SAID HES HURT PRETTY BADLY SAID

THE OTHER GUYS WENT WITH HIM TO THE HOSPITAL

AT THIS POINT SAID IVE GOT TO GO SEE

IF CAN FIND THE PROBY CIVILIANS ARE COMING UP

TO US THEYRE COVERED IN DUST THE CHAUFFEUR

TAKES OUT THE EMS WATER AND STARTS CLEANING THEM

UP LEAVE BACKTRACK AND WENT BACK TO 15

TRUCK CALLING OUT JOHN JOHNSON HAD TO

LOOK AT MY RIDING LIST TO SEE HIS NAME WHO WAS

WORKING YOU KNOW WHAT MEAN JOHN JOHNSON

IM CALLING OUT

QO BACK TO 15 TRUCK BECAUSE KNEW

HAD SEEN HIM THERE AND STARTED WORKING MY WAY

CONLON 14

UP THERE LOOKED UNDER IT STARTED WORKING

MY WAY NORTH LOOKED DOWN COUPLE OF THESE

BLOCKS DONT SEE HIM WENT SOUTH OF WHERE

THE RIG WAS LITTLE BIT DONT SEE HIM GO

BACK TO THE RIG SAID IS HE HERE HE SAID

NOTHEN ALL OF SUDDEN HE APPEARS

GUESS 20 MINUTES DONT KNOW HOW MUCH TIME

WENT BY HE COMES BACK SO FOR LITTLE WHILE

IM MISSING HIM TOO BUT HES BACK WERE STILL

HELPING PEOPLE OUT THEN SAID WEVE GOT TO

GO BACK THERES GUYS BURIED

WE START WALKING BACK AT ONE POINT IN

THERE MEMBER OF EITHER 216 OR 108 CAME RUNNING

BY WITH SHORTS ON AND HELMET HE WAS OFF DUTY

HES HEADING NORTH MY CHAUFFEUR STARTS RUNNING

AFTER HIM SO IM RUNNING AFTER BOTH OF THEM

SAYING TO THE CHAUFFEUR COME BACK AND GET YOUR

GEAR HE HAS NO GEAR YOU KNOW SO HE STOPS

TURNS AROUND TO GET HIS GEAR

THEN THE NORTH TOWER IS COMING DOWN

DONT KNOW WHERE WE WERE PROBABLY AROUND ALBANY

STREET ON WEST STREET WHEN THE NORTH TOWER CAME

DOWN WERE NOT RUNNING NOW WERE

CONLON 15

WALKINGRUNNING AWAY FROM IT PROBABLY RUNNING

WE HOOKED UP WITH PARAMEDIC

THE PROBY HAS HIS MASK ON AND HE HAS

HIS FACE PIECE ON HAD MASK ON MY BACK SO

TURNED THAT ON THIS TIME WERE MASK SHARING IN

THE STREET NOW AS WE WALK AWAY IM SHARING MY

MASK WITH THE CHAUFFEUR WHO IS ON MY LEFT AND

PARAMEDIC WHO CAME UP OUT OF NOWHERE ON MY

RIGHT TOLD HIM JUST BREATHE NORMALLY

WERE KIND OF WALKING THEN WE STOPPED

AND WERE LEANING AND TRYING TO BREATHE SHARING

THE MASK WHEN THE DUST SETTLES ENOUGH WE WENT

BACK TO THE RIG THIS TIME IT KIND OF REPEATED

ITSELF BUT THERE WERE NO CIVILIANS AROUND

ANYMORE JUST SOME COPS AND PARAMEDICS COMING UP

TO US THEYRE GAGGING AND THEY CANT BREATHE

WE GIVE THEM MOSTLY WATER TO HELP WASH THEIR EYES

OUT AND THEY TOOK SIPS OF WATER

SAID TO THE OTHER TWO GUYS THEYRE

LOOKING AT ME LIKE WHAT ARE WE DOING SAID

WEVE GOT TO HEAD BACK THERE OBVIOUSLY THERES

GUYS BURIED THEY SAID YEAH

WE START HEADINQ BACK WE PROBABLY QOT

TO AROUND WHERE THE COMMAND POST HAD BEEN MAYBE

CONLON 16

NOT EVEN DONT KNOW WHERE EXACTLY SOMEWHERE

NORTH OF ALBANY STREET THERES CHIEF THERE

DONT KNOW WHO HE WAS HE HAD COAT ON AND

SHOES AND PANTS NO BUNKER GEAR HE SAID WE

HAVE NO WATER HES IN SHOCK LIKE THE REST OF

US HE SAID WE HAVE NO WATER HES GOT THIS

FACE ON WE SAID ALL RIGHT

SO WE START WALKING BACK AS WE WERE

GOING THERE ANOTHER COMPANY CAME BY THINK 286

ENGINE THEY CAME BY LIKE DOUBLE TIME THEY

CAME BY LIKE REALLY FAST WERE WALKING KIND OF

IN SHOCK GOING BACK NORTH AGAIN AND THEY KIND OF

RAN BY US

WHEN GOT TO THIS CHIEF HE WAS ASKING

FOR WATER WE BOTH GOT THERE AT THE SAME TIME

SO WE BOTH TURNED AROUND TO GO BACK TO OUR RIG TO

TRY TO FIND WATER DONT KNOW WHERE 286 WENT

THEN THOUGH

WE GET BACK TO THE RIG WE PROBABLY

MADE LEFT ONTO RECTOR PLACE LOOKING AT THIS

MAP KNOW WE MADE RIGHT ONTO SOUTH END

AVENUE WE CHECKED LIKE FIVE HYDRANTS ON SOUTH

END THEY WERE ALL DEAD

SO GET ON THE RADIO AND SAID ENGINE

CONLON 17

216 TO COMMAND POST WE WERE GOING TO TELL THEM

THESE HYDRANTS ARE DEAD IM JUST PICTURING LIKE

THERES SOME KIND OF COMMAND POST SOMEWHERE AND

THEYRE GOING TO SAY ALL RIGHT SOUTH END

AVENUE THE MAIN IS KNOCKED OUT WE HAVE TO GO

TO THE NORTH IM FIGURING SOMEBODY IS FIGURING

THIS STUFF OUT

SAID THE HYDRANTS ARE DEAD AND

THERES NO ANSWER ENGINE 216 TO COMMAND POST

THERES JUST SILENCE THERES NOTHING THERES

JUST COMPLETE SILENCE CALL AGAIN THERES NO

ANSWER

NOW IM ON THE RIG AND OVER THE

MANHATTAN FREQUENCY HEARD FIRE BOAT

DIDNT HEAR WHERE THEY SAID THEY WERE BUT THEY

SAID SOMETHING ABOUT ON LOCATION SAID TO THE

CHAUFFEUR LETS JUST HEAD TO THE RIVER GO FIND

THE FIRE BOAT AND WE WILL TRY TO GET SOME

WATER WE TRIED TO GO THAT ROUTE

THATS WHAT WE DID WE WENT UP RECTOR

PLACE THINK GOT ONTO THAT ESPLANADE WE WENT

OVER CURBS WE WERENT ON LIKE ROAD REALLY

SEE THE FIRE BOAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN AT

ALBANY IT WAS AT ALBANY STREET SO WE SHOOT UP

CONLON 18

TO ALBANY STREET

JUST AS WE PULL UP ANOTHER RIG CAME

DOWN ALBANY STREET CAME WEST ON ALBANY STREET

RIGHT IN FRONT OF US SO THEY HOOKED UP TO THE

FIRE BOAT AND WE STARTED STRETCHING WE STARTED

STRETCHING TWO LINES THE FIRE BOAT LINE WHICH

WAS LIKE FIVE INCH LINE AND THREE AND HALF

INCH LINE FROM THAT RIG THAT PULLED UP THERE

ME AND THIS GUY WHO WAS FIREMAN

WITH DANNY WILLIAMS HES LIEUTENANT IN 16

TRUCK KIND OF HOOKED UP THERE WERE GUYS

COMING IN ALL THE TIME IT WAS VERY HARD

CONTROLLING WHAT WAS HAPPENING THERE WERE ABOUT

30 OR 50 FIREMEN STRETCHED FROM THE RIVER TO WEST

STREET AND THEYRE TRYING TO STRETCH THESE TWO

LINES

THEY WOULD GET SNAGGED ON SOMETHING

AND WE WOULD HAVE TO SAY STOP WEVE GOT TO

BACK UP 10 FEET SO WE SPACED OURSELVES HE

WENT CLOSER TO WEST STREET WENT CLOSER TO THE

RIVER WE KIND OF STAYED IN TOUCH WITH EACH

OTHER TO TRY TO GET THIS THING GOING TO TRY TO

STRETCH THESE TWO LINES

THEN THERE WAS CHIEF THAT SHOWED UP

CONLON 19

DOWN AT THE FIRE BOAT HE WAS HELPFUL HE WAS

TRYING TO ORGANIZE THINGS DOWN THERE WE TOLD

HIM WHAT WAS HAPPENING

AFTER PROBABLY AN HOUR AND HALF TO

TWO HOURS WE HAD RIG AT ALBANY AND SOUTH END

WE HAD RIG AT WEST AND THEN ANOTHER SUPPLYING

STUFF TOWARDS THE WORLD TRADE CENTER THE RIG ON

WEST STREET WAS SUPPLYING TOWER LADDER IT WAS

SUPPLYING LINES THAT WERE HEADING TOWARDS THE

WORLD TRADE CENTER

ONCE THAT WAS ALL IN PLACE IM

THINKING IT WAS COUPLE HOURS THAT HAD GONE BY

SAID TO THE GUYS YOUVE GOT TO TAKE BLOW

HAD TO TAKE BLOW WAS READY TO PASS OUT

PEOPLE WERE WALKING AROUND WITH JUGS OF WATER

SO WE SAT DOWN BY THE RIVER FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES

AND DRANK SOME WATER TOOK OUR GEAR OFF

WE PUT OUR GEAR BACK ON WE WENT ON

SOUTH END AVENUE BASICALLY UP TO THE SITE

GUESS WE WENT THROUGH TWO WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER

OUT WINDOW AND ONTO THE PILE TOLD THE GUYS

TO WAIT OUTSIDE THEY WERE WAITING OUT IN THE

COURTYARD OUT THERE WENT OUT AND TOOK LOOK

AROUND

CONLON 20

THERE WERE COMPANIES OPERATING ON FIRES

AND THIS AND THAT SAW RIG DOWN BELOW

DIDNT KNOW WHAT IT WAS IT WAS LIKE TWO STORIES

BELOW ME WENT DOWN AND SEARCHED UNDER IT AND

STUFF CAME BACK UP

SAW NIGRO COME OUT WITH THINK 126

TRUCK FROM YUEENS HE WAS COMING OUT ONTO THE

PILE HE LOOKED THE WAY FELT SAID TO HIM

CHIEF THERES RIG DOWN HERE HE SAID

RETURN TO THE TRUCK HE SAID ALL RIGHT

GUYS THATS THE FIRST PLACE YOU CAN LOOK CHECK

THIS RIG DOWN HERE

WENT BACK THERE WAS MANIFOLD SET

UP IN WINDOW OR SOMETHING COMING ONTO THE PILE

FIGURED MAYBE WE COULD GET COUPLE LENGTHS OF

HOSE AND HOOK UP TO THAT MANIFOLD AND OPERATE

THERE WERE SOME FIRES BURNING SEVEN WORLD TRADE

CENTER WAS STILL JUST SMOKE COMING OUT AT THAT

TIME THERE WASNT FIRE

GO BACK TO TRY TO FIND SOME HOSE

FRESH COMPANIES WERE COMING IN WITH LINES AND

STUFF WHEN GOT BACK IT DAWNED ON ME THAT

THESE QUYS ARE WONDERINQ HOW THE OTHER QUYS ARE

DIDNT KNOW IF THE AMBULANCE MADE IT SO WAS

CONLON 21

KIND OF CONCERNED ABOUT THAT

SO SAID TO THE GUYS LETS TRY TO

FIND OUT HOW DAN SUHR IS DOING THE CHAUFFEUR

SAID TO ME CAN WE FIND OUT HOW DAN SUHR IS

DOING SAID YES WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE

AMBULANCE WAS WORRIED ABOUT ALL OF THEM

SO WE FOUND SOMEBODY WITH CELL PHONE

FOUND SOMEBODY THE TWO FIREMEN FOUND

SOMEBODY CALLED THE HOSPITAL COULDNT

REALLY GET THROUGH THEY WERE MUCH WISER THEY

CALLED THE FIREHOUSE AND THEY FOUND OUT THAT DAN

SUHR HAD DIED AND THAT THE OTHER TWO GUYS WERE IN

THE FIREHOUSE AND THAT THEY WERE SAFE

SO THE CHAUFFEUR COMES BACK DONT

KNOW HOW LONG HE KNEW DAN FOR

WE START HEADING BACK TOLD HIM GO

BACK TO THE RIG AND ILL MEET YOU THERE SO

THEY WALK DOWN TO THE RIVER THEYRE QOINQ BACK

TO THE RIG FIND THE CHIEF ON DONT KNOW

CONLON 22

WHERE GUESS ON LIBERTY FIND THE CHIEF OF

THE 11TH DIVISION ACTUALLY DONT KNOW HIS

NAME

AFTERWARDS REALIZED HOW RIDICULOUS

THAT WAS TO EVEN ASK WE LOST 343 GUYS FELT

BAD EVEN ASKING AFTER HE SAID NO WAS

THINKING OF COURSE WE CANT LEAVE

HEAD BACK NOW WHEN GET BACK TO

SOUTH END AND ALBANY THERES 216 ENGINE HOOKED

UP SOMEHOW SOMEONE MOVED IT WERE RIGHT IN

THE MIDDLE OF THE RELAY NOW THERES THE

CHAUFFEUR OPERATING THE PUMPS SAID TED WE

CANT LEAVE YET HE SAID YEAH YOU KNOW

DONT WANT TO LEAVE ANYWAY WE ALL HAD THE SAME

KIND OF FEELING

THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH THEN HE OPERATED

PUMPS WANTED TO SEE WHO WE WERE SUPPLYING

WE WERE ON ALBANY AND SOUTH END WALKED ACROSS

WEST STREET THERE WAS ANOTHER RIG ON WEST NO

CONLON 23

OUR LINE WENT STRAIGHT TO 207 ENGINE WHICH WAS

ON ALBANY BETWEEN WEST AND WASHINGTON STREET

THEY WERE SUPPLYING ONE OF THE

STANDPIPES ON 90 WEST STREET AND THEY WERE

SUPPLYING HAND LINE THAT WENT THEY SAID

COUPLE BLOCKS AWAY THERE WAS FIRE IN THE

BASEMENT OF BUILDING THE GUYS WERE OPERATING

THAT

THATS WHAT THE CHAUFFEUR OF 207 TOLD

ME HE SAID WERE SUPPLYING 90 WEST AND WERE

SUPPLYING THE HAND LINE ACTUALLY WE WERE

SUPPLYING TWO HAND LINES ONE THAT WENT THROUGH

BASEMENT AND ONE THAT WENT NORTH TOWARD TWO WORLD

TRADE CENTER SAID ALL RIGHT

SO GO BACK NOW KNOW WHO WE RE

SUPPLYING THE CHAUFFEUR SAID WERE DOWN TO

HALF TANK THERE WERE LIKE THREE OR FOUR RIGS

AROUND HIM THERE WAS ANOTHER RIG RIGHT NEXT TO

US IN THE RELAY AND FIGURED ALL THE RIGS ARE

OPERATING SINCE THIS THING STARTED AND THEYRE

GOING TO START TO RUN OUT OF FUEL

SO TRIED TO CALL THE COMMAND POST TO

LET THEM KNOW WE NEED FUEL CANT QET THROUQH

SO WALKED BACK TO LIBERTY HOOKED UP WITH

CONLON 24

CHIEF ASKED HIM HOW WE COULD GET SOME FUEL

HE SAID WERE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING FUEL HE

SAID SOMETIMES FIRE BOATS HAVE IT

SO WALKED BACK SENT THE PROBY

DOWN HE WENT DOWN TO THE FIRE BOAT HE TOLD

THEM WE NEEDED FUEL ABOUT HALF HOUR LATER

THEY SHOWED UP WITH PICKUP TRUCK WITH 55

GALLON DRUM OF DIESEL BUT THEY HAD NO WAY OF

GETTING IT THEY DIDNT HAVE HAND PUMP OR

ANYTHING

SO WE FOUND HOSE AND WE STARTED TO

SIPHON WE SUPPLIED 216 AND ALL THE OTHER

ENGINES THERE WAS ANOTHER ENGINE FORGET

WHO IT WAS OPERATING RIGHT NEXT TO US SO

WEVE GOT FUEL

IN THE MEANTIME CHIEF FROM JERSEY

COMES UP TO ME WITH PIECE OF PAPER WITH THREE

NAMES ON IT AND HE SAID THESE ARE THREE

FIREMEN THEYRE IN HOSPITAL IN NEW JERSEY

IN CASE YOU HAVE THEM AT LEAST YOU KNOW

WHATEVER DONT REMEMBER WHO THEY WERE SO

WALKED BACK TO LIBERTY AND GAVE THAT TO

CHIEF MET OVER THERE HE SAID ALL RIQHT

THANKS ILL TAKE CARE OF IT

CONLON 25

DO YOU REMEMBER THE CHIEFS NAME

WISH COULD IM SORRY DIDNT

KNOW HIS NAME DIDNT KNOW HIM MET

COUPLE CHIEFS THAT KNEW MET JACK ROONEY

HE ASKED ME WHAT DID YOU DO TOLD HIM

WHEN MENTIONED CHIEF BARBARA HE ASKED ME

WHERE DID YOU SEE HIM LAST AND TOLD HIM

THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION WHERE DID

YOU LAST SEE CHIEF BARBARA

LAST SAW HIM AT THE COMMAND POST

WHERE HE SET THE COMMAND POST UP IT WAS JUST

NORTH OF ALBANY THERES BUILDING THERE ONE

FINANCIAL CENTER IT WAS RIGHT AT THE CORNER OF

THAT BUILDING HIS COMMAND POST AND IT WAS ON

THE WEST SIDE OF WEST STREET THIS IS WEST

STREET HERE NOT REALLY THE WEST SIDE HIGHWAY

THE COMMAND POST WAS JUST NORTH OF THE

CORNER OF ONE FINANCIAL CENTER WHEN WALKED UP

TO HIM THERE WAS KIND OF NATURAL PLACE TO

HAVE COMMAND POST THERE WAS CUTOUT

DECORATIVE CONCRETE OR SOMETHING RIGHT THERE

THIS WAS AN AREA THAT DIDNT HAVE IT SO HE WAS

STANDINQ THERE

THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN JUST PRIOR TO THE

CONLON 26

COLLAPSE THEN

WELL WHEN WE REPORTED IN TO HIM HE

WAS THERE WHEN CALLED FOR AN AMBULANCE IM

ASSUMING HE WAS THERE BUT DIDNT SEE HIM

THERE BUT WHEN IT COLLAPSED WE WERE CLOSER TO

THE BUILDING THAN THAT LOCATION SO DONT

THINK HE WAS THERE

THOUGHT ABOUT IT LOT AFTERWARDS

HE MUST HAVE WALKED TOWARDS THE LOBBY COMMAND

POST THATS ALL CAN ASSUME YOU KNOW WHAT

MEAN LIKE WERE WALKING INTO THE LOBBY COMMAND

POST HE MUST HAVE BEEN BEHIND US WALKING IN OR

SOMETHING

AFTER WE PUT DAN IN THE AMBULANCE AND

THE AMBULANCE TOOK OFF BASICALLY THE BUILDING

COLLAPSED WE WERE AT THE CORNER RIGHT AT 90

WEST STREET THAT COMMAND POST IS ACROSS THE

HIGHWAY AND LITTLE FURTHER SOUTH THAN WHERE WE

WERE

THAT DOESNT MEAN THAT HE DIDNT GET

HE HASNT BEEN FOUND THOUGH GUESS SO HE

COULDNT HAVE BEEN THERE IF HE WAS THERE THEY

WOULD HAVE FOUND HIM BECAUSE THERE WASNT

WHOLE LOT OF DEBRIS THERE KNOW FROM

CONLON 27

AFTERWARDS THERE WAS SOME STEEL

THATS WHERE REPORTED IN TO HIM

CHIEF REPORTED IN TO HIM AT HIS COMMAND POST

WHICH WAS ON THE WEST SIDE OF WEST STREET JUST

NORTH OF THE CORNER OF ONE WORLD FINANCIAL

CENTER THATS THE LAST PLACE THAT SAW HIM

CAN YOU THINK OF ANY OTHER RADIO

TRANSMISSIONS THAT YOU HEARD THAT WOULD BE

HELPFUL

YEAH WELL HEARD THE WHOLE

TRANSMISSION WITH THE MARINE COMPANY CHIEF

WHATS HIS NAME THAT WAS TRAPPED IM DRAWING

BLANK ON HIS NAME SANTOS OR SOMETHING ILL

THINK OF IT

AL

AL YEAH SANTURO

SANTURO NO NO

ANYWAY HEARD HIM HE WAS TRAPPED

EITHER IN HIS CAR OR UNDER HIS CAR WHEN WAS

ON THE RIG AT ONE POINT AND WERE LOOKING FOR

WATER WE TALK ABOUT HOW DUMB YOU ARE AT

SOMETIMES HEARD TRANSMISSION MAYDAY

QIVEN

AL FUENTES

CONLON 28

AL FUENTES AL FUENTES

HEARD THE TRANSMISSION OF MAYDAY

GIVEN THINK BY FIREMAN IT HAD TO BE

FIREMAN OVER THE DEPARTMENT RADIO THOUGH THE

FIRST THING THOUGHT OF YOU DONT GIVE MAYDAYS

OVER THE DEPARTMENT RADIO YOU GIVE ONLY URGENTS

YOU KNOW AFTERWARDS REALIZED FOR CHRISTS

SAKE IF HES GIVING MAYDAY HES TRAPPED

SOMEWHERE

DIDNT KNOW THE BUILDINGS COLLAPSED

UNTIL ABOUT IN THE AFTERNOON THAT THEY CAME

DOWN COMPLETELY KNEW THERE WAS COLLAPSE

UNTIL WE WERE SUPPLYING WATER AND GOT THERE AND

LOOKED AND THE DUST HAD SETTLED ENOUGH

COULDNT BELIEVE THEY BOTH CAME DOWN COMPLETELY

AS FAR AS OTHER GUYS AND OTHER

TRANSMISSIONS HEARD JUST WHOLE SERIES OF

TRANSMISSIONS WITH RESCUE AND CAPTAIN TISO WHO

WAS TRYING TO GET TO GUYS HE GOT IN LITTLE

BIT OF TROUBLE FOR WHILE

HIM AND SOME OTHER MEMBERS APPARENTLY

THEY WERE UP ON THE PILE THEY WERE IN BAD

SPOT HE STAYED CALM THROUQH THE WHOLE THINQ

IT WAS AMAZING BUT THEY HAD TO BACKTRACK THEIR

CONLON 29

WAY OUT AND THERE WAS FIRE LIGHTING UP BEHIND

THEM THEY NEEDED LINE

WAS BEFORE THE SECOND COLLAPSE OR

AFTER

NO NO THAT WAS AFTER

AFTERWARDS

YEAH

AND TRUCK GETTING OUT THEY WERE

TRAPPED FOR LONG TIME AND THEY FINALLY GOT

OUT TRUCK YOU OUT YEAH WERE OUT

WERE OUT IN THE STREET

AFTER THE FIRST COLLAPSE AS FAR AS

RADIO TRANSMISSIONS REALLY DONT REMEMBER

HEARING ANY RADIO TRANSMISSIONS WOULD SWEAR

THAT THERE WERENT ANY BUT KNOW THERE WERE

BECAUSE TALKED TO OTHER PEOPLE THAT SAID THERE

WERE

HOW ABOUT DO YOU RECALL ANY RADIO

TRANSMISSIONS BEFORE THE COLLAPSE

NOT REALLY OTHER THAN NO WE

WERENT THERE THAT LONG BEFORE THE COLLAPSE WE

REPORTED IN AND WE WERE SENT IN THEN IM

QIVINQ MAYDAY AND THEY COLLAPSED THATS THE

WAY IT SEEMED

CONLON 30

YOU MENTIONED 217

YEAH

YOU SAID THEY WERE WITH YOU BUT WAS

THE WHOLE COMPANY WITH YOU

WHEN GOT TO THE COMMAND POST THE

COMMAND POST WAS TWO ENGINE COMPANIES AND CHIEF

BARBARA THAT WAS IT AND GUESS HIS AIDE

ALTHOUGH DONT REALLY REMEMBER EVEN SEEING HIS

AIDE KIND OF JUST REMEMBER HIM HAD NEVER

MET HIM BEFORE

WHEN WE GOT THERE 217 ENGINE AND 205

ENGINE WERE THERE AND THEY WERE JUST STANDING

FAST NOW WE GET THERE REPORTED IN THE TENTH

DUE THE FIFTH ALARM DONT KNOW WHAT WE ARE

HE SAID FINE

THEN WHEN HE SENT US IN TO THE LOBBY

COMMAND POST HE SENT ALL THREE COMPANIES ALL

THREE ENGINES ALL THREE OF US WERE GOING TO GO

IN WE ALL STARTED WALKING WAS WALKING IN

FRONT OF THE OTHER TWO COMPANIES SO DONT KNOW

EXACTLY WHERE THEY WERE BUT KNOW THEY WERE

WITH US BECAUSE WE ALL PICKED UP OUR GEAR THEY

WERE PICKINQ UP THEIR QEAR BUTTONINQ UP THEIR

COATS

CONLON 31

205 ENGINE ALL OF THEM BELIEVE

STOPPED TO HELP US SINCE THEN TALKED TO GUY

OVER THERE AND THEY SAID THEY ALL STOPPED TO HELP

US 217 THINK TWO GUYS STOPPED TO HELP US AS

FAR AS UNDERSTAND IT ID LIKE TO FIND OUT

MORE ABOUT WHO IT WAS DONT EVEN KNOW WHO

STOPPED TO HELP US BUT THINK TWO GUYS STOPPED

TO HELP US

IT WASNT LIKE WAS TAKING HEAD

COUNT AT THAT MOMENT JUST KNEW GUYS STOPPED

TO HELP US KNOW TWO GUYS CAME RUNNING ALONG

WITH LONG BOARD IM ASSUMING THEY RAN OUT TO

WEST STREET TO GET IT DONT KNOW IF THEY RAN

OUT TO THEIR RIG OR WHERE THEY GOT IT BUT THEY

HAD THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO GET LONG BOARD AND

THATS WHAT THEY DID THINK THEY WERE FROM

217 THINK THEY WERE THE TWO GUYS

DONT KNOW WHERE 205 WENT ONCE WE

WERE UNDER THE SCAFFOLDING AND ONCE THE LONG

BOARD CAME AND WE WERE WHEELING HIM DOWN THE

BLOCK IT WAS ME AND MY GUYS BASICALLY ONCE WE

GOT HIM IN THE AMBULANCE THERE WERE NO OTHER

FIREMEN AROUND BUT US

THE AMBULANCE TAKES OFF AND

CONLON 32

DR KELLY DISAPPEARED DONT KNOW WHERE SHE

WENT DURING THE DAY HEARD THAT SHE DIDNT

MAKE IT IM DYING BECAUSE SAID SHIT WAS

JUST WITH HER AND SAW HER

OTHER THAN DANNY WILLIAMS OF 16 TRUCK

BELIEVE EITHER 284 OR 286 ENGINE WAS RUNNING

ALONG WITH US AND THAT WAS AFTER BOTH COLLAPSES

SO BEFORE BOTH COLLAPSES JUST SAW 205 AND 217

ENGINE AND REALLY DIDNT HEAR TOO MANY

TRANSMISSIONS

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU CAN

THINK OF THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO ADD TO THIS OR

ANYTHING THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO US

OTHER THAN ON OUR SIDE OF IT ON THE

SOUTH SIDE THERE WERE LOT OF PEOPLE THERE

HEARING THE SAME THING KNOW VISCONTI AND

FELLINI THEY REALLY TOOK OVER ON THAT SIDE THE

TWO CHIEFS TWO DEPUTIES THERE WAS NO UNIT

DESIGNATIONS JUST CHIEF VISCONTI CHIEF

FELLINI WHAT DO YOU NEED NEED TWO

ENGINES OR WHATEVER THEY WERE GOING BACK AND

FORTH THERE WAS NO RADIO TRAFFIC FOR WHILE

AS FAR AS THE REST OF THE DAY WE JUST

SPENT IT RUNNING UP AND DOWN AND CHECKING HOSES

CONLON 33

THEN ONCE GOT RELIEVED GOT RELIEVED THERE

ABOUT 530 WENT OUT ON THE PILE FOR WHILE

LOOKING AROUND WOUND UP EVENTUALLY MAKING MY

WAY HOME WAS THERE AND WENT BACK TO WORK THE

NEXT DAY

CHIEF MCGRATH ALL RIGHT THE HOUR IS

15Z5 THIS WILL CONCLUDE THE INTERVIEW

THEN

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HELP

AND ALL YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS THANK YOU

VERY MUCH

CAPTAIN CONLON OKAY