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
CONLON 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 GO HE 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
CONLON 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 NO THEN 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