Long Island City remembering 9/11

Long Island City’s Fire Ladder 115 has a fan. – photo by Jesse Winter

In planning a memorial post for 9/11 and Long Island City, liQcity checked in with Ladder 115 to find out if any of our local firefighters had perished as responders to the attacks. Turns out, the answer is none and it’s an interesting story why not.

After the planes flew into the World Trade Towers, the FDNY assembled a convoy of fire trucks & firemen from Long Island City, Greenpoint & Astoria that was lined up and ready to go through the Midtown tunnel. With 10 trucks and roughly 70 men about to go through, the Battilion Chief at the time, whose real name ironically is John Papa, was concerned about booby trapping in the tunnel and as a result they held the convoy for roughly a half hour or so while they sent dogs through the tunnel and cleared it for any bombs.

According to the story, in the time they took to clear the tunnel, the towers fell and had the firefighters been there sooner, the chances that some or all of the men could have died were high. Chief Papa’s decision to hold the convoy and thoroughly check out the Midtown tunnel before sending any more humans through it presumably saved the lives of roughly 70 firefighters from western Queens & Brooklyn. At least, that’s the way they tell the story today. It’s amazing the difference a half hour can make.

liQcity expresses our gratitude to all the men & women who risked their lives to save others during the 9/11, and to those who continue to do so on a daily basis. Many are aware that first responders are not invited to the 10-year memorial this year, and in the words of the Ladder 115 fireman we spoke with yesterday, “We weren’t invited to 9/11 either. We just showed up.”

Even though no one was lost from LIC’s Ladder 115, others were not so fortunate. We would like to take a moment to remember the residents of Long Island City who died in the 9/11 attacks:

• Michael E. Brennan was born on November 20, 1973 and was 27 years old. He lived in Long Island City and was a firefighter for New York Fire Department, Ladder 4.

• Palmina DelliGatti was born on August 30, 1968 and was 33 years old. She was a Long Island City resident who was employed by Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.

• Felicia Hamilton was born on June 20, 1939 and was 62 years old. She lived in Long Island City and was employed by Fiduciary Trust Company International.

• Christopher A. Santora was born on September 19, 1977 and was 23 years old. He lived in Long Island City and was a firefighter for New York Fire Department, Engine 54.

• Robert Gabriel Martinez was born on November 16, 1977 and was 23 years old. He was a Long Island City resident and worked with Summit Security Services, Inc.

• Alan Jay Richman was born on July 23, 1957 and was 44 years old. He lived in Long Island City and worked for Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.