OCEAN CITY — Twenty-three years later and it’s still not easy for retired Ocean City firefighter Brian Green to recount the memories of supporting the recovery efforts at Ground Zero in New York City in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.
He was the most impactful speaker at Ocean City’s 9-11 Remembrance Ceremony last Wednesday evening in front of Ocean City Fire Department headquarters at Sixth Street and Asbury Avenue. Chief Bernard Walker and firefighter Chris Vliet had to come to Green’s side to provide moral support, placing their hands on his shoulders, so he could finish his remarks.
Green was like millions of Americas who watched on TV as passenger planes hijacked by terrorists slammed into the World Trade Center towers that morning, another hit the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and a fourth was forced down by passengers to crash into a field in Shanksville, Pa., before it could reach its target.
He told the large audience who turned out for the event, overflowing from bleachers set up on Asbury Avenue, how Cape May County was putting together a task force immediately after the attack and the OCFD was going to be part.
Green is a big, burly former firefighter, from a family of firefighters, who retired from the OCFD in 2014 after 27 years of service. He spoke through tears and was forced to pause to compose himself throughout. The audience listened with rapt attention.
This is his story in his own words:
Here in Ocean City nearly every single member wanted to go and would have gone with that task force. From what I call the unlucky draw, the decision was made that we would send an ambulance staffed with one captain and two firefighters.
They actually placed names in a hat and picked. First name: firefighter Brad Wiltshire. Second name: Captain William MacDonald, rest in peace, he’s no longer with us. Third name: myself, firefighter Brian Green.
We readied ourselves and gathered all the gear we deemed necessary that we may need to utilize. We rendezvoused on the parkway with the Cape May County task force and headed north, hoping to be able to do some good and assist in rescuing survivors. Once we reach New York, we were staged at the Jersey side of the Holland Tunnel. We received meals, water, extra gear — anything they thought we should have, flashlights, breathing masks, protective gear, radio codes, frequencies, everything you could think of.
When the call came after a couple hours we were moved to staging in Manhattan. After emerging from the Holland Tunnel, we were surprised to see the streets lined with New Yorkers with signs cheering, thanking us for coming. One of the most surreal moments of my life.
After a few hours, we were moved to a closer staging in the financial district not far from Ground Zero. We all tried to sleep a bit because we had no idea what the next four or five days were going to bring us.
After about a dozen hours we received a call to move forward to Ground Zero staging. Once we arrived, we were given our directives. This is when we found out we were no longer part of a rescue mission as they had decided it was now a recovery mission.
It was kind of a tough blow that they no longer expected any survivors to be found. We took turns roaming around Ground Zero trying to help anyone in need. The men and women of FDNY were amazing, withered, weak, nearly beaten, but not one of them would leave until all missing firefighter personnel were recovered.
Their faces are forever etched in my mind. They are always in my thoughts and prayers around this time of year. Numerous times during the next two and a half days, everything at Ground Zero would come to an abrupt halt, realizing another firefighter had been found. Only FDNY personnel would attend the recovery of one of their own. Standing with sheets around the scene while a firefighter was placed in a body bag and removed to Ten House, the fire station across the street from Ground Zero.
After nearly six days we were relieved of our duty. A long ride from New York City gave me plenty of time to reflect. I decided on that ride this was something I never really wanted to discuss. It took me 14 years to return to New York City to pay my respects, see the new tower, go to the museum, to the reflection pools and, of course, 10 House.
I went with my wife Stacy, my daughter Presley and my son Austin, who unfortunately shares a birthday with these tragic events, although he was born a year earlier in 2000.
He understands what this day means and even immortalized this day, 9-11, with a tattoo on his chest. While this was a moment in time for some, this has been a bit burdensome for me. The things I witnessed no one should ever have to witness.
In those six days that is forever engrained in my being, I, for one, will never ever forget.
– STORY and PHOTOS by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
