Interviews With First Responders Told the Story-- Part 2: Last Communication with the Chief

Every September 11, I take a time out on my blogs to write about the events of that day back in 2001.

Superiors in the fire department decided that the first priority was to evacuate civilians.  That, of course, meant going into the towers.

Peter Ganci Jr., the chief of the department, rushed to the scene, told his assistant to find two ladder companies, and went inside to size up the situation.

"O.K., Chief, I have the trucks coming," Steven Mosiello recounted radioing his boss.   "I'll be there in a couple minutes.  The next thing, the second tower came down.  I'm calling, 'Chief Ganci:  Car 3A to Car 3, Car 3, Car 3' -- he never answered."

Firefighter Joseph Moela recalled:  "You heard guys -- firemen, chiefs, lieutenants, I don't know who -- yelling conflicting reports, some saying, 'Get the hell out of the tower.  get out of Tower 1.'  You know, Tower 2 fell."