My Dad is a 9/11 First Responder — here’s his take on it
By: Sokaina Zouak
Tags: American, NYC, Heroes, 911, Never Forget

The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks is an event all Americans will never forget, especially those who risked their lives to help ensure the safety of their country, like my dad.

My dad, at the time, was a New York City (NYC) Environmental Engineering Detective.

My dad rushed to the scene to help at a time when most were escaping it. Even through the following months, he worked in Ground Zero.

My dad is considered by many a Hero, but he considers himself as just an average guy with a will to help in a time of need.

I interviewed my dad who was an Environmental Consultant who was actually protecting First Responders and Con Edison Workers during the 9/11 clean-up in Ground Zero.

Me: Where were you and what happened to you specifically on 9.11.?

My Dad: Well, I was actually on my way to work taking the PATH from Journal Square to my job sight in the Bronx.

Me: When and how did you learn exactly what was happening that day?

My dad: So when I was on my way from the Journal Square PATH to work in Manhattan and all of sudden we stopped in Grove Street Station and made a very long delay because they told us a small plane hit one of the towers so they took us to a completely different station so everyone initially it was an accident nothing to worry about and then when I got off in the Bronx, I saw an array of thick dust spoiling what was at first just another beautiful morning.

Me: What was your immediate response to the events around you?

My dad: I felt like I needed to do something to help, I could not stand there and watch innocent people suffer.

Me: Is there any specific incident that you remember that you would like to elaborate with details?

My Dad: Well, I was getting out of the subway station, my brother along with many others were calling to see if I was okay and I remember the level of vulnerability and fear in the atmosphere.

Me: What happened to you in the first days after 9/11?

My Dad: Well, I was immediately called in as an emergency by Con Edison which is a major power utility company in New York City and they needed to put new extension power line to use emergency electrical power in ground zero so as an I was Con Edison’s environmental consultant to protect the workers in ground zero from breathing in toxic and contaminated air through supplying them with protective suits and special air masks while working in manholes to extend the powerline to ground zero so we can give other first responders to use their own power tools.

During the first 5 months we were investigating inside homes in Downtown Manhattan for asbesto containing materials as a result of the dust spread in homes from the towers falling apart.

Me: Do you have any reaction to the events of the day that you can share?

My Dad: Well, I was certainly extremely worried going to work everyday still working in ground zero I had to have a special badge and my investigators license to investigate if the first responders in firefighter trucks, SWAT Teams, and police cars were taking any contaminants along with them in their vehicles. Contaminants like asbestos and the debris because it was contaminated.

Me: What did 9/11 tells us about the human qualities of good and evil, and love and hate?

My Dad: 9/11 showed in moments of desperation, everyone came together to help one another regardless end it showed what it showed what truly felt like to be an American.

Everyday after leaving the sites late at night there would be waves of people waving to us saluting us and thanking us what and even giving us gifts and just treated us like heros and we all felt appreciated that we were there to help everybody

Me:What do you think 9/11 “say” about who we are as people?

My Dad: I have such a tragedy it showed virtue nature as humans to come together and help each other as one regardless of what you look like or what religion you follow it was just about helping one another make the best out of a very terrible situation.