Podcasts about New York City Fire Department

September 11, 2001, changed Bob Ellis's life, just as it changed mine. Bob was working at the Pentagon that morning and had walked out of the building only minutes before Flight 77 struck the area where his meeting had taken place. You will hear how he immediately became part of the response, helping organize emergency supplies and support for those working at the Pentagon. We also compare our experiences from two different locations that day, Bob at the Pentagon and me at the World Trade Center with my guide dog Roselle. Twenty-five years later, our conversation is about more than remembering 9/11. It is about leadership, teamwork, service, controlling fear, and deciding what we do with the life we have been given. I believe Bob's story offers lessons we can all use when the unexpected happens. Highlights: 05:29-Bob shares how his early life and military support career shaped his path. 23:53-He recalls realizing the first World Trade Center strike was not an accident. 32:59-Bob describes being just 300 yards away when the Pentagon was hit. 37:00-He explains how he helped organize emergency relief supplies within hours. 1:03:54-Michael reflects on survival, fear, and the responsibility to move forward. 1:06:55-Bob shares the lasting life lessons he took from September 11. About the Guest: Bob Ellis is the Vice President, American Logistics Association responsible for Exchange, MWR, Food Service Operations. The native of Fort Walton Beach, Florida began his career with AAFES in 1972. From 1972 through 1984, he held retail management positions as a Branch Manager, and Operations Manager Main Store. In 1985, Ellis began a string of assignments as an Exchange General Manager trainee at Fort Belvoir, VA, and Exchange General Manager, Fort Hamilton, NY and Carlisle Barrack PA, (Army War College). Assignments as Area Retail Manager and General Manager at the former Japan Area Exchange ran from 1989-1992. In 1992, Ellis was transferred to Travis AFB in California as Retail Manager, Main Store. In 1994, Ellis was selected for the General Manager's position at Travis and spent three years assisting in the design and new construction effort of the largest retail Main Store ever constructed by AAFES. From 1997 to 2002, Ellis held the position of Director of AAFES' Washington Office, serving as the principal representative of the Commander, AAFES to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Departments of the Army and the Air Force, Congressional offices and industry representatives. Notable among his accomplishments, Ellis was instrumental in spearheading AAFES support to the Pentagon after the attacks of September 11th. Within 48 hours of the event, AAFES established a mobile exchange in the shadow of the impact site to support rescue workers and investigators with critical need and personal comfort items. After Washington, Ellis moved to AAFES Headquarters' in Dallas to assume the Vice President Specialty and Consumables position. In this role, Ellis was responsible for the SD-C Category Team Managers/Buyers. In August 2003, Ellis took his a position as Vice President of Corporate Planning and Communications where he managed the development of AAFES long range and contingency planning programs, oversight of corporate public affairs and ensured compliance with Department of Defense policy guidance with the goal of preserving and protecting the exchange benefit for soldiers and airmen and their families around the globe. Bob joined the ALA on 31 July 2006 where he continues to serve a role in military resale supporting Exchange, MWR, and Food Service, operations still serving military resale over 51 years continuous service. Ways to connect with Bob**:** You can find more benefits how Branded Riches can help you build your Brand, Product, Business, and Yourself at https://www.BrandedRiches.com   Connect:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/neryk-davydov Branded Riches Audiobook by Neryk Davydov https://www.audible.com/pd/Branded-Riches-Audiobook/B0GCP9MMRB Branded Riches Book https://www.amazon.com/Branded-Riches-Increase-Income-Irresistible/dp/1987753836 $5 Free Gift for Creating A New Ovato Wallet    www.ovatoCoin.com  About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson  00:00 Everyone, I am Michael Hingson, the host of Unstoppable Mindset. You've heard my voice for the last 471 episodes, but I'm calling you all out today and asking you to listen to this because we're going to make a special announcement now regarding the next four episodes, starting with 472. We're going to help commemorate the historic events of September 11, 2001. Yes, they're definitely historic, although not necessarily the most positive things that have ever happened. But as many of you may know, I was in the World Trade Center working on September 11, 2001, on the 78th floor of Tower One, and escaped with my guide dog. I've delivered a speech about that, which we put in the first episode of this podcast series back in August of 2021. But this Friday, episode 472 is going to have an updated speech that I delivered just a few years ago at the Marshfield, Missouri Cherry Blossom Festival. That festival is a yearly event celebrating different kinds of things that have happened in American history, and I was invited to come and speak, which I did. I'm going to put that speech up for you as episode 472. I think you'll find it enlightening. It'll teach you something about blindness and blind people. It'll tell you my story, and it'll give you some inspiration that I hope you will find helpful. Next Tuesday, september 8, Michelle Abraham is going to interview me. Michelle is with Amplify You, the company that does all of our back office stuff and helps me with the editing and other things regarding the podcast. Michelle owns her own podcast, and she is going to interview me about September 11th and other kinds of things relating to what I've learned and things that have happened over the past 25 years. She's also going to be putting this up on her podcast Amplify You, so you can find us in a lot of different places. On September 11th, I'm going to chat with Bob Ellis. Bob was in the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, and had literally just walked out the door of the Pentagon when the plane crashed into the Pentagon and did the things and the damage that it did, and of course generated all the things that occurred at the Pentagon. On the 15th of September, I'm going to come back and have a conversation with all of you about lessons that I've learned over the past 25 years, and just reminisce a little bit about all of that. While the podcast is occurring on September 11th, I will be actually in Kilgore, Texas, doing a speech about September 11th. So lots of things going on, I hope you listen to these episodes. I hope that you'll tell everyone that you can about them. I really enjoy all of the support that you've given us over the years, and we're going to continue to do things with Unstoppable Mindset. And of course, as always, if you'd like to come on or know anyone who would, please let us know. We're always looking for guests. Thanks very much. We'll see you on Friday with the first of these four episodes. What if the biggest thing holding you back isn't what's in front of you, but rather what you believe? Welcome to Unstoppable Mindset, where inclusion, diversity, and the unexpected meet. I'm your host, Michael Hingston, speaker, author, and advocate for inclusion and possibilities. This podcast explores how the beliefs we carry shape the way we live, lead, and connect with others. Each week, I talk with people who challenge assumptions, face adversity head-on, and show what's possible when we choose curiosity over fear. Together, we focus on mindset, resilience, and the small shifts that lead to meaningful change. Let's get started. Hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of Unstoppable Mindset. You are listening to us today, or at least I'm assuming you're listening just when this came out. But whenever you're listening, it is today, September 11th, 2026, which is needless to say, a special day. If you have kept up with my podcast from the beginning, you know that I worked in the World Trade Center on September 11th, and ever since then I've been a public speaker, traveling the world, talking about trust, teamwork, leadership, the human-animal bond, and a variety of things. But recently, I met Bob Ellis. Michael Hingson  04:40 Now, Bob, as it turns out, on September 11th worked at the Pentagon, and I have not ever really had the opportunity to talk with someone who was at the Pentagon, especially on September 11th. But we get to chat about that today, and Bob knows our rules, which are basically. He sent me a series of questions that he wants to cover, but we are doing this as a conversation, so we'll probably talk about a lot of the things that he specifically sent. But we can go any old way that Bob wants to go, so that's what we'll we'll make this really fun. And I'm really looking forward to having the opportunity to talk with Bob. So again, welcome to September 11th, and Bob, I want to welcome you to Unstoppable Mindset. We're really glad you're here, Bob Ellis  05:28 Michael. Thank you for inviting me. I know you you've inquired several times, and I've debated it, and and I was just holding it for the right time, and this is the right time-the 25th anniversary of the event. Michael Hingson  05:40 Yeah, it is, and and and as as we've said, if you find anybody who needs a a speaker to come in and speak, let me know. But but for now, we get to chat about you and and hear your story, which I think is the important thing. I think we'll probably talk about both of our stories in the course of the day, no doubt about it. But I really am glad that you are here and that you are able to to talk with us today and and and talk about things. So let's start the way I love to start with people. Let's start at the beginning. Tell me kind of about the early Bob growing up and so on. Let's start with that. Bob Ellis  06:17 Well, I I grew up in let's say grew up until I was four years old. I lived. I was born in Pensacola, Florida. Lived in the Panhandle. Mother and father got divorced, and we moved to Norfolk, Virginia. And it was just my my mother and I until I was 14 years old. And I found out about my dad and found some letters from him and insisted to go see him. And so, between 14 and 15, I made a couple of unauthorized attempts to to make my way to Florida. On the third attempt, I made it, and it was quite a surprise for my father. Ended up living with him and being my closest friend up until I had he had grandkids, we had kids, and so I lived and grew up in the Destin, Fort Worth, Fort Walton area. Went to work, and this is where the story begins. I went to work at Eglin Air Force Base as a as a janitor in a gas station for the Army Air Force Exchange Service, so that I could continue to play high school football and practice, was a great job. It was an opportunity to work with the military, be around the military, and I took great pride in that feeling that that that that while I I wanted to go into the air force and I wanted to fly jets, that opportunity just never presented itself because the Vietnam War was going on and they were banking pilots instead of taking pilots. Anyway, I I ended up staying with the Army Air Force Exchange Service for 34 years. I moved all over the world. I've seen the every AOR and every combat scenario since the Vietnam War. Not in the Vietnam War, but I was in the refugee program, helping with the resettlement back in 1972, 1973. Spent the rest of my career going wherever they sent me, and and and that was from Tokyo, Japan, to to Tuli, Greenland, to California, and ultimately to to Texas. Michael Hingson  08:30 I remember during the Vietnam War, someone called me one day. I was a student at UC Irvine, and there was a refugee camp fairly close to the university, and someone said, and someone said, "There's a blind young man at the sent at the refugee center, and we should go see him. And so we we bought a transistor radio for him and went out to visit with him and spent some time with him, and I never got to see him after that. But I hope I hope he did well. He he seemed like he was doing okay, but he was a little bit lost, needless to say, because it's a whole bunch of people. There are no a lot of people who knew much about blindness and blind people, but I would presume he did reasonably okay. I hope so, but that was the only time I specifically had an involvement with him or anyone at the refugee camps. Later, when I met my wife Karen, she lived, I think, a door down, and she and her parents lived a door down from a Vietnamese couple, and he was a tailor and actually made her wedding dress, which was kind of cool, and so we got to spend a fair amount of time with the Voo's, which was was good, but what's. Interesting for me now, with with now being well so many years later. In November, I will be going to do a speech in Hanoi, so I'm really looking forward to to going over there and and experiencing it. At least it'll be a little bit cooler then than it probably is now. So we'll see, but it'll be it'll be pretty enjoyable to go and again see a different a different part of the world, and I I think we'll be fine. At least that's that's that's the plan. Bob Ellis  10:34 That that that that tour that I had at Eglin Air Force Base with the refugees, will come back to to to 911 2001 and the experiences that I had at that refugee camp replicated in the Pentagon park and lot there in 911. So we'll get to that. I'll explain it further. Michael Hingson  10:56 Yeah, I'm sure it was a a great a great lesson. Where did you do college, or did you Bob Ellis  11:03 went to went to Duke University and the University and the University of Maryland? Michael Hingson  11:10 Okay. Well, at Bob Ellis  11:12 least much of it was correspondence as well, only because I was deployed for for so many years back to back, 17 moves in 34 years. Michael Hingson  11:22 Wow, Duke University. At least you didn't go to one of those other schools in North Carolina. Boy, talk about talk about rivalries and basketball. What a what a group down there. Bob Ellis  11:35 Oh, I know, I know. Michael Hingson  11:38 I once spoke in Kentucky, and the Wildcats were in the NCAA championship that year, and I was asked to speak at an event on the night of the championship. But I was told I had to end by 630. I could not go one second past 630 because the gym I was speaking in was going to clear out. Well, I ended in time so that at 630, what they said was absolutely true. That gym cleared out. Everybody went home to watch the game. Bob Ellis  12:09 That's that's sports. Michael Hingson  12:11 Not sports. It is, but it's okay. I I learned a lot down there and got to meet a number of people, and so it was it was a lot of fun to to do it, and then years later I was in North Carolina when NC State and UNC were playing to see who was going to go into the championship. So again, pretty interesting world, and and sports ruled everything then, so it's okay. It Bob Ellis  12:43 hasn't it hasn't changed at all because my my my daughter I got her graduate studies done at NC State, and it hasn't changed a bit. It's just I'll bet it's just crazy as it's when was 20 3040 years ago, Michael Hingson  12:58 and it shall ever be, won't it? Bob Ellis  13:01 Yeah, yeah. Her undergraduate degree was at University of Texas. This was my son's, and she went on to NC State, and and he went on to medical school in in Houston. Michael Hingson  13:16 Okay. Well, UC Irvine, when I was there, had the championship water polo team, but that's what we had. But they started basketball while I was there, although it wasn't anything huge. But a couple of years ago, they made it to the Sweet 16, and that was kind of fun for UC Irvine. One of these days, it'll go all the way. Bob Ellis  13:40 Yep. Michael Hingson  13:41 Well, anyway, so you you went to college, and and what did you major in? Bob Ellis  13:45 Political science. Michael Hingson  13:47 Okay, political science Bob Ellis  13:48 and business management. With a with my two aspirations, I wanted to. I really wanted to major in in aviation science, but that that wasn't offered. So that's political science and business science, business law. Michael Hingson  14:06 But you were working for the Army Air Force Exchange Service. What is that exactly? Bob Ellis  14:11 Yeah, it's a it's it's it's a non-appropriated funded Service provided all goods. I think of it as the the Walmart or the Target of of the civilian sector, except the Army Air Force Exchange Service has stored everything from stores, every business that you can think of therein, from stores to convenience stores to gas stations to beauty shops and barber shops to dining facilities, franchise Burger Kings, anything that a soldier and his family needs at the base or overseas or in the combat arena, where we were there with it, providing it. It's been a great career. Michael Hingson  14:59 Did you? Do you have any involvement with, especially here in the U.S. the the Randolph Sheppard programs, the blind vending stand operations at any of the facilities? Bob Ellis  15:09 Yep, sure did many many times. We're still working with it. There's there's some issues present right now under the Randolph Shepherd that they're looking at. I don't know what what's going to change, but yes, sir, we were very, very close to that. Michael Hingson  15:24 Yeah, I know there. The current government's looking at it; they want to scale a lot of it back, which would, I think, not be a good thing. I think there's a lot of reasons to keep it, but we'll see. We'll see. We'll see how it goes. But I, the closest I ever came to dealing with anything from AAES was I was invited to speak once at an organizational meeting of the National Property Managers Association in the military. Are you familiar with that? Bob Ellis  15:56 I am. Yes. Michael Hingson  15:57 And when I was asked to come, the Speakers Bureau didn't do a good research job because they told me, "Oh, it's the people who rent apartments and all that. When I got down to the to the event, I will say that the National Property Managers Association certainly serves a nice breakfast. But anyway, the conversation just didn't seem like what I what I was expecting. So I asked somebody, and they told me that the organization was the organization that had complete jurisdiction over anything physical that the government owned, and Bob Ellis  16:30 absolutely Michael Hingson  16:31 that that changed my grass. Sorry, Bob Ellis  16:34 right down to the grass, right down to the grass and the concrete. Michael Hingson  16:37 There you go. Well, it also changed my speech in 10 minutes, but it was fun. They invited me back the next year, so that was good. But it's it's fun when you're you're planning to do a particular speech, and suddenly it turns out it's got to change. It's good to have the flexibility to do that. But I'm I'm glad I had the opportunity to do it, and hopefully we'll have opportunities to do it again, but you have served a lot of different kinds of of services within AAES, and and I assume that's all worked out pretty well. Bob Ellis  17:14 That that worked out very well. Yep, I had I started at the bottom and and climbed as close to the top as I possibly could, but Michael Hingson  17:23 you eventually got the the highest medal that was available for civilians when you retired or after you retired. Bob Ellis  17:31 No, the highest award that I ever received was from my man over the Pentagon 911 support program, which was a nice medoris civilian award. Michael Hingson  17:46 Okay, where is your favorite place to live in the world? Or is that really easy to say? I mean, you've been all over the place and seen a lot of different kinds of places. Don't know how much you got to two of them, but anyway, Bob Ellis  18:00 it wasn't the two places that I that I went overseas, which was Japan and Greenland. Those were the longest tours of my life. Beautiful country in Japan, and and great facilities and support in tuning Greenland. But I would I would guess throughout the United States, I had a great assignment at the Army War College, and I had a great assignment at Travis Air Force Base here in Michael Hingson  18:26 California. Yeah, Bob Ellis  18:28 yeah. Michael Hingson  18:30 I've spoken. Bob Ellis  18:30 My son was born in Japan. He's dual citizen as a result on the Air Force Base, and my daughter was born in California. So it was a great time, mainly because the kids were younger and and and and we were in great climate areas. Michael Hingson  18:48 When people ask me what my favorite place in the United States is, I say everywhere. I I just enjoy meeting people wherever I go in the U.S. It's so many different cultures and customs and ways of doing things. It is so fun to to see all the different places and see how they are. People ask what I like, where I like outside the U.S. And so far, it's been New Zealand. I would say is probably the best, but Japan has to be up there too. I've really enjoyed being in Japan. I've been there a couple times, and I thoroughly enjoyed Bob Ellis  19:23 it. I, I had, I think the most the the greatest thing about the assignments was some of the people I I got to to meet in in my in my tours. One of them would be the Crown Prince of of Thailand, who who is now the king of Thailand, King Rama, got to meet him when he was a pilot, and supported him when when I was at Yokota Air Base, and multiple other celebrities. I I had the opportunity as a kid to attend the funeral. For Douglas MacArthur, and and his his memorial was right across the street in North Virginia from where my mother worked. And 20 years later, I had the opportunity to to meet mrs. Mcarthur, Jean MacArthur, at Gracie Mansion in New York, and I I I wrote protocol. I when it came time for her to to meet me and meet meet her, I got down on one knee and I held her hand and I said, "I want to tell you a little story, ma'am. And she said, "Well, certainly, absolutely. And I told her the story how when the general had died in in 1964, I was required by my my mother to go to the funeral, and the most fascinating person I'd ever seen in my life was herself, and she just got she just turned red. Well, long story short, I was at an army command at Fort Hamilton. The next day, the the group the the installation commander called me over to his office, very angry, but he wanted me to know that I was going to be the first civilian aide for the old lady, which was mrs. Mcarthur, and he had to take one of his lieutenants off. And I got to know the family and and the Mcarthurs as a result of that. So lots of opportunities, just absolutely amazing. 911, and we'll get to it. I got to meet President Bush momentarily, but I I got to meet him and have a short conversation. Michael Hingson  21:32 I got to meet him in 2005. We went to the Oval Office, and we were supposed to have a two minute photo op, but he kept wanting to interact. We ended up talking for about 15 minutes. He kept the Italian ambassador or prime minister waiting, but it was a was a great conversation. I very much enjoyed having the opportunity to meet with him. Bob Ellis  21:53 Yeah, he was remarkable. Michael Hingson  21:54 Yeah, in in so many ways. If Speaker 1  22:00 you enjoy Unstoppable Mindset and would like to help us continue bringing these conversations to you each week, we've created a way for you to support the show. Your contribution helps us cover production costs and continue sharing stories, insights, and ideas that inspire people to live with purpose and possibility. If supporting the podcast feels right for you, you'll find the link in the show notes. Thank you for being part of the Unstoppable Mindset Community. Michael Hingson  22:33 So that's that's pretty cool. So as you were going around to all these different places, what would you say you were learning. Bob Ellis  22:41 I was learning business. I was learning relationships. I was learning marketing. Pretty much anything that you wanted to do as a general manager or a vice president, the exchanges let you do it. You know, until you got too far gone, and they they reel you back in. But I love being able to run multiple businesses on the installation, and and be accountable for them, and run them at a profit, and and at the end of the day, do great things for military families. Michael Hingson  23:16 Wow! So you um, you you've you've had a lot of challenges and and had to learn a lot of different things. Needless to say, but I would would think that you've you've been able to to keep a lot of that and use it. And you know we've referred to September 11 th, and so let's let's get to around that time. The first thing I would ask, and people have asked me, but you're in a better position in theory than I. Did you have any inkling that something like September 11th was going to happen? Bob Ellis  23:53 Well, actually, September 11th was was happening. I left for work about 4:30 in the morning. I lived out in the suburbs in Centerville, Virginia, and it was one of those days that you just wished you didn't have to go to work. It was the as the sun was coming up, it had a little cold breeze to it. The skies were blue. It was just one of those days that you just wanted to sit out in the yard and and relax or go bicycling, whatever. But I did my duty and I drove in to the Washington D.C. area and reported to my office on time, which was right around 5o'clock. My staff showed up around six and some at seven, and my secretary came in, and I don't know exactly what time it was, but it was shortly after, right around 9o'clock in Eastern Time, when the first airplane had hit the the trade center. Michael Hingson  24:49 Yeah, Bob Ellis  24:49 846-940-6846, Yes, right, 846. Yeah, and and so I I went in to look at the. The the television monitor standing there it was just her and I at the time and and and I said that's not an accident and she says how do you know that I said look at the skies that was an airliner they were talking about it was a little small private aviation well I'm a pilot I've been a pilot for 40 years 41 years I knew exactly, you know, that that where it was, what it was doing, and that wasn't a it wasn't an accident. And and my inkling was is that I was in a in rented space in Arlington, Virginia, because we had been moved out because the wedge that got attacked was the one that was still under construction. My office had not been completed there, and and I had a meeting in that wedge at 9o'clock that morning. And my secretary said to me, "You know, Bob, the Pentagon is next. And I paused for a minute and I looked at her and I said, "How in the world could you even imagine that, you know that that that's a fortress? Who would be crazy enough to attack the Pentagon? And she says, I I just I don't want you to go over, you know, just just just do it by phone, which I I probably could have done. And I said, No, I'm I'm going to go over there. If they're going if they're going to attack the Pentagon, I'm going to go down with it, and that was kind of my philosophy. So, in the back of my mind, seeing that airplane hit the Trade Center and her telling me that certainly made me wonder if it wasn't a possibility. Michael Hingson  26:33 So, you didn't. You don't think that anyone, and I've never heard of any such, but that anyone had any advance notice? There wasn't chatter. There wasn't anything that made people suspect what might be getting ready to happen. Bob Ellis  26:47 No, I I I think that is the the worst our country has ever been off guard. It reminds me of you know the the attack on Hawaii and that you know in in Pearl Harbor. We were completely unprepared, and I thought we were completely unprepared on 911. And in fact, after the attack, I knew we were unprepared when I saw the two jets fly over with no armament on the wings. So no, I don't think anybody had any idea. Michael Hingson  27:18 Well, the other side of it, and I've talked about this in in some talks I've given. I talk a lot about trust and teamwork, and like it or not, one of the things that I observe is you had 19 terrorists who functioned well enough as a team that they didn't talk about it. They didn't let anything come out. So no matter how much armament or whatever we might have had, I'm not sure whether we could have predicted that on September 11th, what occurred was going to happen. Bob Ellis  27:49 You know, all the indicators were there. You know, those those 19 trained at private airports, and they and during their training, it was it was reported multiple times that all they were interested in was taking off, not landing. I mean, first clue, you know. Okay. Why would you just be interested? He's taking off an airplane, and and I always found that very curious, and I'd heard it several times. That should have set alarm bells off. Should have. It didn't. Apparently, it did. Michael Hingson  28:20 Good point, and you know the the thing is though that, as as you pointed out, who would have thought that anybody would attack the Pentagon, the fortress that it was? Who Bob Ellis  28:33 yeah, Michael Hingson  28:33 who would have thought? So again, you can only go by what you got, and so nobody, I think, would have ever imagined that. Well, of course, the first plane hit the World Trade Center, and at first, people didn't really know what happened because there were really not very many people who who saw it. In fact, we only have the few photos that were taken by the French photographers who were there for something else, but then a little after nine, the second plane hit, and that changed the dynamic and changed the perspective a lot. Although a bunch of people who started seeing it on TV thought it was just a movie, and it wasn't true, but the second plane hitting changed the attitudes. I think for most people, and that's when people knew something was going on. Bob Ellis  29:24 Yeah, I didn't know anything about the second trade center. I had left my office in Crystal City, and I had headed to the Pentagon. And the meeting, the meeting that I had was with the Army Personnel Chief and several other folks. And as it turned out, that is exactly the window that the airplane flew into. That was ground zero for the for the for the target for the airplane going in just above the first floor for the Pentagon. So I didn't know anything. I was I was trapped at that point. I was trapped. Couldn't go um. Wouldn't go um. Didn't want to go um. And I had lived in New York City for five years, and I was my biggest. I was always impressed by the New York City Fire Department. I mean, they're they're just walking heroes if you've ever seen them. I mean, they were like they were like giants when you got next to them, and that they would they were just superhumans. And I always wondered upon the top floors how in the world you would get a fire put out at the top of the World Trade Center, and and I did not know until two days later when I made it home. That was my first question to my family: How did they get the the fire out at the top of the World Trade Center? And I and and it was repeated to me centers, and I said, What are you talking about? Centers in my family, and they said, "Bob, the World Trade Centers are gone. I said, "I don't understand. How could they be gone? And that was that. That was you know two days later that I found out about that. It was quite a shock to me to learn what it actually while I was on on the Pentagon mission. Michael Hingson  30:58 Well, when the first plane hit. Well, in the second plane, the firefighters were going up the stairs carrying all their equipment, and I had had had known about that and asked people, "Well, why are you or would you be carrying equipment? Because I met I I didn't meet the FDNY people ahead of the World Trade Center attacks, but I did meet with other people to learn about emergency preparedness and so on because I felt as the leader of an office, it was my job to know because I wasn't going to be able to read signs, and I love information, so I was trying to learn all I could, and they told me that where would if you if you had equipment stored in the in the towers, then people would go to it. Firefighters would go to it and get the the equipment. What floor do you put it on? Because no matter what floor you put it on, what if the fire broke out one floor below? You know, you can't get to the equipment. So the only way they could get up the stairs to fight the fires was to carry all of the equipment with them, yep, yep. Not enough is said about those guys in history. No, and I met a number of them coming up the stairs as we were going down, and they wanted to escort me down, and I didn't want them to do that because I knew they were a team, and I I pushed back pretty hard and said, no, you guys go up and we'll go down unless we can help you fight the fires, and they said no. The reason they eventually let me go down without any assistance was I had a friend with me who could see, and I said, "Look, David can see. Don't worry about us. And David and they turned to David and they said, "You're with him. And David said, "Yeah, leave him alone. He's fine. So we went on down, and they went up. I don't know whether the people we interacted with made it down or perished up above. It was about 10 after 10 after nine or so when we got to the 30th floor where we met them. So it was another hour and almost 20 minutes before the tower collapsed, but I don't know where the firefighters were, or how many people from the groups that we interacted with perished, or if they all made it out. I don't know, but Bob Ellis  33:12 yep, I I memorized all those numbers. You know, 189 between the airplane and the Pentagon, 200 injured, but 189. 189 total were 64 on the airplane, 125 in the Pentagon, and I'll never forget those numbers. Yeah, I'll never forget the time. I looked at my watch at 9:17, and and I have to tell you that on 9/11, I always sit very quietly until I get past 917, not 937. I'm sorry, 937. Michael Hingson  33:48 So Bob Ellis  33:48 in the morning. Michael Hingson  33:49 So, how close were you to where the plane came into the Pentagon? Bob Ellis  33:56 About 300 yards. When when it was clear that the meeting wasn't going to happen because the air traffic control system had been shut down. They released us to go back to our our offices, and I was going out the front door. I left about 930. It was supposed to start at nine 930. The generals said we'll just reconvene, and and I agreed. And from his office on on the south portico, I was walking out the front door. Literally, I heard the engines spool up. I had been in the AOR in rail combat munitions, and and I've heard cruise missiles, and and I could hear this one spinning up, and I thought it was a cruise missile, and so when it hit when it hit the building, it was just it was just a horrendous sound. But my first impression was to run to it to see what happened, what what what caused that, and there was nothing there. It was just four or five cars burning and smoke billowing out of the building. And and the the rest turned into a you know a rescue and a a recovery. Michael Hingson  35:08 AOR is what Bob Ellis  35:10 the area of responsibility. Michael Hingson  35:13 Okay, area of responsibility. Okay, Bob Ellis  35:16 yeah, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, wherever we are, it's it's N A O R, and that's your A O R. That's state. That's where you are. So that that's where I encountered first first and only live person coming out of the building, and which was a which was a really big surprise. But I knew that there was something that I I had to do, and and one of the things was to, if he needed assistance, getting him assistance. And there were several people. He was he was he was burned third degree burns over his whole body. He lived. I said one prayer was for him. And as it turned out, he became a a great ambassador. Turned out to be a great friend, and is actually back in the Pentagon to this day, just steps away from his old office as a civilian, went went back on a presidential appointment. Michael Hingson  36:09 So, you mentioned the general a while ago. Was did he survive? Bob Ellis  36:15 No, he was the he was the highest ranking person that we lost in in the entire encounter, and it was the entire office was just instantly vaporized. So he did not survive. Michael Hingson  36:33 Well, so you heard the engines revving up, and you went after you heard the explosion and so on. You went over to see what was going on, and then what did you do? Because it certainly had to be a major surprise and a shock by any standard. Bob Ellis  36:49 Yeah, I went that side of the building, saw the hole in the building, kind of convinced myself it was a cruise missile, but I never heard such a loud engine noise. As it turned out, it was it was two big engines off of a 757 200, and so I immediately tried to figure out you know what can I do? What should I do? Should I even be here? And that's when I saw the colonel coming out of the building, and I was able to walk with him and four others over to the the road, the Washington Boulevard that goes around the Pentagon, and and I sat down on the telephone pole, a light pole that the airplane hit going in. Now I'm a pilot, and and I have to tell you to take an airplane going at Mach point eight seven, and hit a target, hit the building, and not hitting the ground was just absolutely amazing to me. So as they got the colonel into an SUV and and and got him out of the the scene, I sat there. Just it was almost like a movie I was watching. The triage was being set up. The Pentagon was burning. The emergency services units were starting to show up, and we had very intermittent phone capability. And I had I had a a friend, my my the commander that I worked for in Dallas at the time. This secretary's husband was a bodyguard for Secretary Rumsfeld, and and Secretary Rumsfeld was actually carrying litter patients, carrying people out of the debris area and out of the offices. He was actually helping people, and he he realized that something needed to be done. So he gave Jerry a note, a piece of paper. We called them snowflakes, but it was a tablet, and he had listed what needed to be done and what needed to be done now. And Jerry found me sitting over there and gave me that that piece of paper, and it had everything listed on it. He wanted a a tactical field operation in place. He wanted it now, not yesterday. He wanted something in the interim, and it was to provide emergency relief supplies. So I I sat down on that telephone pole and I called our our local dist not local our largest distribution center in the world was down in Newport News, and I got the director on the phone and I said, I have an official order from you coming from the Secretary of Defense, and and don't override, don't just just follow my instructions until we can get to the commander at AFIS headquarters, and so I gave him the list. I just gave him the full list of things that we needed to get rolling, and I called another gentleman that was just across the river, the American Logistics Association, which owned all of the brokers and manufacturers, and I gave him a list of stuff that we needed now, like Gatorade boots. the The surface was over 2000 degrees, and the emergency service boots were melting almost upon contact. So I had I had 1000s, hundreds of 1000s of dollars of equipment. And supplies coming in, and we set up the USO tent, put everything in the USO tent. We raided all the stores in the in the Washington D.C. area. I was able to contact the region manager, and I told him, you know, what we needed to take it off the shelf, put it in the back seat of the cars, don't account for it, and get it to me. And that's what we did the entire first night was setting up the USO trailer, and the next morning I had two tactical field tractor trailers coming up the ramp just as the sun was coming up, and they were loaded with supplies, and that's what stayed in place for the next two months. Over $2 million worth of merchandise, emergency recovery type merchandise, everything from linens to the towels to eye wash, and and and we had to actually have some special boots made out of leather for the dogs because the dogs' feet were so it was it was quite an operation. We ended up well running within within 24 hours of the attack, Michael Hingson  41:04 why is it that you are able to stay pretty focused through all of this? Bob Ellis  41:08 I you know I you know I I've often asked that question. I wanted to go home. Alls I could think of is my kids, my wife. What what are they doing? What are they thinking? They're watching this on the news, and I had I had drifted over to which my car was very close, and it was taped off. The parking lot was taped off. It was a crime scene. There was no going anywhere. There was no transportation. If I wanted to walk 40 miles, I guess I could have, but because I couldn't go anywhere, I had to do something there on the scene, so that's that's that's what I did, and and it wasn't until the next day when the phone started working again, our two star in Dallas was able to get through to me on on my BlackBerry, and he wanted to know what the situation was, and and and I told him, and and he said, what what are we going to do? And I explained to him what we had done already, and he says, "How did you do all of that? I said, "I picked up the phone and I told him I was working for Secretary Rumsfeld, and this is the order. And and he says, "How are we going to pay for all of this? I said, "Sir, this is our finest hour. We're not. We're going to donate. These are all donating goods, and and it really was an interesting. I I just I just don't know. I was compelled. He he he ordered me on that second day to go home, and and I said I had no way to go home. And he said go to the motor pool. I'm going to call the motor pool. He had been the commander of the Air Force One Squadron, so he had a lot of connections in Washington, and he he got me a car, and I went home long enough to change clothes and and and to come back out. So it was it was just out of adrenaline, I think. Somebody had to do something, and and everything that I've told you here today is not written anywhere in history. I own every bit of what happened in in in that story, other than some of the people that were working there. Michael Hingson  43:07 What phone did you use that first day? You said you're you're it was the second day or the next day that you're phoned. So how were you able to communicate? Bob Ellis  43:17 We had Blackberries, and and until the networks got completely overrun, we were able to use it. And and so by the second third day, we we had pretty consistent communication, because the the the commander called me back that same morning, and and he said, you know, he said, how come you haven't been home? And I explained to him, and he says, "Will you do me one favor? And I said, "I would. He said, "Will you go back into the building? Said, "Sir, the building's on fire. He says, "Well, well, you get in the front, and I'm looking at it. He was looking at it on television, and the military clothing store was in the very front, within 100 feet, probably of that door that I went out of. And he says, "Would you see if our people survive, and if the store itself survived? It was sitting near the the area. I went in the store. I went into the building, into the burning building, and was able to look in the door, and I could see that the the room was full of smoke, and the door was locked. So I told him I would assume that our people made it out, alive and okay. And they say that was a, and they did, and they absolutely did. And in fact, everybody that that that that had any kind of supervisory capability around the Beltway, they volunteered to come over and work for me and and operating that facility for 2024 hours a day, seven days a week. Wow! So and not and not to shorten the the question, I wasn't there, but because of what I was doing in the in the Pentagon, my old homestead was at Fort Hamilton. Fort Hamilton picked up the same thing and went over to the Trade Center area, and they gave them a place to put a mobile. Food truck, and they brought supplies in and pretty much supported the firefighters and the and the and the police there. So so we had quite an operation going for a long time. Michael Hingson  45:11 Yeah, and and needed to, but it was interesting and commendable that in both places people were able to focus, and were able to carry out missions. I know at the World Trade Center when the two towers collapsed. Of course, it was it was unexpected, but we know now, of course, why they collapsed. It wasn't that the planes hit; it's that they were they were full of what 36,000 pounds of jet fuel each, and that exploding jet fuel is what damaged the infrastructure of the buildings to cause them to be able to collapse. But as well as at the Pentagon, but very quickly people were able to start to move and deal with issues and put procedures in place that were able to, I'm sure, keep more people from perishing and keep kept more people being able to focus throughout the whole the whole sequence of events. It it certainly was very scary, but it is something that that people like you were able to do. I know for me, the reason I was able to focus was because I had learned what to do in an emergency at the World Trade Center. I spent time with people and I learned how the whole building was structured, so I knew when the building tipped, why it tipped, and and things like that. You Bob Ellis  46:40 felt it. You you felt it. Michael Hingson  46:43 Oh yeah. Oh my god. We moved probably at least 20 feet, and then it came back, and oh my Speaker 2  46:48 god, it Michael Hingson  46:48 got vertical again. It got vertical again, and then a few seconds later, it dropped about six feet because the expansion joints went back to their normal configuration. But Bob Ellis  46:59 we uh we we knew from 937 till about 5o'clock that evening there would be no more survivors. It was over, and and and the dogs were getting depressed because they were they were they were not cadaver dogs. They were recovery dogs, and they were used to fight. And we we actually had ceremonies for the dogs every day, where we sewed flags onto their collars, and they had special water and special food. So they played a big, big role in morale, mine especially. Michael Hingson  47:33 And at the same time, I know people had to do drills to keep the dogs focused because they weren't able to find people, as you said, so they had to do things to give them something to find to keep them happy, which was was so important. Bob Ellis  47:50 Yeah, that we had two two tractor trailers lined up. It was just just two 300 feet from where you went into the damaged area of the Pentagon, and those dogs and their handlers would get up underneath those trailers and sleep, and they would play with the dogs. We actually had some carpets brought out, tarps brought out, and that's kind of where that was kind of their headquarters during 911. We had to make it up as we went along, and and the other interesting part of this story is in 1972 at the at the refugee camp, I was sleeping in the back of a van because there was just no way to go home. It was too it was too far to drive home to turn around and come back at 8o'clock the next morning, and I heard somebody knocking at the door, and and and I and I opened up the door, and it was a military colonel in uniform, and there was a civilian standing there with him. And he says, "Are you part of this operation? And I said, "Yes, sir, I am. He said, "Who are you with? And I said, "The Army Air Force Exchange Service. And and he says, "You're not provided any other facilities. This, I said, that was my choice. And as it turned out, I was speaking to Secretary Rumsfeld during his first administration as Secretary of Defense, and it was interesting that when he found out that what I did in in that program, I won the Indo Indo China Award for service, and then of course you you move ahead to to 2001, and we we knew each other. I had briefed him several times, and we we knew each other in the Pentagon. And that day, he knew that I would know what to do for the support role, and that's why he sent the letter up. And as it turned out, when he retired and and left the Pentagon, he was on a book tour, and and the the general secretary and myself got an invite to come to the book tour with him and and have lunch with him. And he handed me a book and he said, "I want you to have this, but I don't want you to open it up until you, Bob. I don't want you to open it up till you get home. I don't want you to give it to your wife. And and it was like this. Sure, I'm not not a problem, and so I got I got home. You know, this is this is 10 years later, and handed the book to her, and I said, "Open it up. I'm not wasn't allowed, and there's a nice thank you page on the front from Secretary Rums for allowing him to use me on 9/11, and you just you just that's the best reward that I could have ever ever expected. A guy that I just idolized to do that. Michael Hingson  50:26 When you got home, so you weren't able to talk to your wife before you got home, or did you ever get communication so you could call her? Bob Ellis  50:33 No, I didn't. I when I finally got the phone back up and running and got in the car. I had lost the battery, so I said, "I'm gonna be home in in an hour. I'll just be there. But General Wax called up, and she answered the phone. She went. She went sometime during that day and pulled the kids out of the private school, brought them home. She could see my car. It was a yellow SUV, and she could see it in the South parking lot in the news choppers going around. She said that was my car where my spot was, and General Wax got her on the phone and she and and she answered the phone and he said this is C J Wax and she thought that was the call. She thought that was it, and she alls I could do was drop to my knees and and and C J said and it's it's okay. I've ordered him to come home. He's all right. He's running. He's running a a program for us for for recovery. And if he's not there, he should be there shortly. And then by the time I got there, I got to the front step. I'm asking the question about the World Trade Center, how they got the fire out, and I was ordered that I could not go in the house because I smelled like smoke. So, so two minutes before that, I was the most important person in the world, and and then all of a sudden, I was I was back to Bob, and I wasn't going to wear that that suit in the house to to smoke it. So anyway, that's that's how she found out. He he called her up. I asked him. I think I asked him if he would get in touch with her at our last conversation, and he did. Michael Hingson  52:06 Soon after both towers collapsed, like a minute or so later, I called and got through to my wife Karen. I had talked with her before we left our office, and then when we got downstairs, I couldn't get through to her because the circuits were busy, and it was obvious that everyone we learned later was saying goodbye to loved ones, and so the circuits were busy. So after both towers collapsed, I was able to get through to her, and as I tell people, there were tears on both sides of the phone at the when that conversation started, but she was the first one who told us how two aircraft had been crashed into the World Trade Center towers, one to the Pentagon, and at that time, the fourth one was apparently still missing over Pennsylvania, and of course, then it crashed at Shanksville. Bob Ellis  52:52 I love it. Michael Hingson  52:54 Yeah, but we, you know, we talked, so she knew I was okay. Then a friend of ours, Tom Painter, who had been a friend of Karen's at high school out in California, but Tom, over the years, had ended up moving to New Jersey. He came down to stay with her, not knowing until he arrived whether I was in the office that day or out with a customer or what was going on. And of course, then she told him, and so he drove her to the train station to pick me up. When, when I got back out to Westfield, we went home. And you talk about with with dogs. We got in the house, and I took Roselle's harness off because I was going to take her out, and she would have none of it. She ran off, grabbed her favorite tug bone and started playing tug of war with my retired guide dog Linny, and I talked to the veterinarians at Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael the next day, and they said, "Did anything threaten her? And I said, "No, not directly. And they said, "That's why she ran off because it was over. Nothing threatened her. Bob Ellis  53:58 Comfortable. Michael Hingson  53:59 She, they don't. Dogs don't do what if like we do, and so she was comfortable. She was happy. She wanted to play, and then then she did go out. But by the same token, the the whole point was that she was able to deal with with all of it and was able to to focus. Then we got her outside and and came back in, and she ate and and all that. But the the the thing is that she focused all day, and and she did a a wonderful job. And the reason that she focused and did so well was mainly because I worked at keeping her focus by telling her every chance I got. You're a good girl. What a good dog! Good dog. You're doing a great job. Keep going. I did that all the way down the stairs in the World Trade Center, and I was very deliberate about that because I knew she had to sense the fear and what was going on, and I wanted her to know that I was okay and I was going to be there for. Her, which is of course what teamwork and support is all about. You understand that very well. You you proved it in so many ways. I kept working with Roselle and kept her focused, and you know it all it all really went well. I still think one of the most relevant things for me in the World Trade Center. I went down the stairs with a guy named David Frank. David was from our corporate office in California, and David and I were going to be conducting sales seminars that day, teaching some resellers how to sell our products. And we got down to about the 50th floor, so David was there to talk about the the pricing and so on. I was going to do the majority of the presentation because I was going to be their technical contact, anyway, and we got to about the 50th floor, going down, and suddenly David said, "Mike, we're going to die. We're not going to make it out of here. And as I tell people, since I got a teaching credential, I had learned all about the secrets of how to yell at students. So I just said, "Stop it, David. If Roselle and I can go down these stairs, so can you. And he then immediately said that I brought him out of his spunk, and he told me that later as well. But what he told me was that he wanted to walk a floor below me on the stairs and shout up to me everything that he was seeing. He had to take his mind off of what was going on, and so he asked if I cared, and I said, "No, go ahead. That's what you need to do. That's fine. So I got like down to the 48th floor, and he yelled, "47th floor, Mike. All's clear here. Going on down. So we went down several floors that way. Eventually, I got to 45, and he was 44th floor. This is where the Port Authority cafeteria is not stopping. And the reason I mention it is because I think what David did is one of the unsung things that is so important from September 11th. He kept shouting up to me everything that he saw, but the reality is, anyone in the sound of his voice heard that there was someone who was okay going down the stairs, and he had to keep panic out of people's senses for so many individuals, because they just heard him, Mike, 43rd floor, all's good here. Going on down the stairs, all the way down the stairs. He had to have been able to keep so many people focused because he was able to keep his mind off of what was going on by shouting to me, and I think that that's so important, and so I'm. I always tell that story. I've been telling it for many years now because I want people to know what he did to keep so many people focused going down the stairs, and he had to have done that. Bob Ellis  57:31 Well, you know, I have. That's that's the first I've heard that, and and and and I read everything that I followed your story very closely, as well as the colonel who I was so close to, but there there are a couple of stories that are just never mentioned, not talked about, and one of them where we had to do every day. There was an update that the military gave the families an update as to what is happening, what was found, what was recovered, what to expect, and they would bring the kids in to listen to these brutal military briefings. I mean, just you know, these were these were soldiers, these were these were combat folks, and this is the way they briefed. And the therapy dogs were brought in, and there wasn't but about a dozen of them, and I will never forget not only the kids on the floor with the arms around those dogs, but some of the adults were as well. And I thought, what what a moment! That was the most touching moment of my entire life witnessing that. I mean, I could have done without it, but it was it was a very special moment. And then the the other thing that the world doesn't know about is on the second day, I got a I got a phone call from Secretary Rumsfeld's office that the VA was completely out of coffin flags. We had nothing in inventory to to cover the remains or the caskets for burial, and what could I do? And and right right from the Pentagon parking lot, I I called one of the buyers that bought American flags in Dallas, and then I asked her who do you get flags from, and she says it's American Flag Company. I'll give them credit for that, and and I said you need you need to get their entire inventory. We need to get it flown in, whatever expenses cover it, and get them here. The Pentagon doesn't have them, and New York doesn't have them. And those flags came in. They were they were there about that midnight that that that night. Now boxed up, thrown in the bag box, whatever tape they were bound, but everybody that came out later, you know, the recoveries as we got deeper into the debris, that had a had a flag that that came that came from us in the as well as at the Pentagon, and they put two very big special flags in there. I mean, like you see flying over a car dealer. And they hung that on the side of the Pentagon. And if you look at any of the any of the news willers of that time, it was on day two that flag was hanging that that came in with the rest of the other flags. So it was it was quite impressive. You never know what the next moment was going to bring you on you know from my side and and and can I meet the challenge? That was what I constantly worry about. How could I let any of this down? And I've got to do something. And and we were making it up as we went along. Michael Hingson  1:00:33 Yeah, that's all you could do. And so when I go back to Bob Ellis  1:00:37 to to this to this day, you know, we go back. They've got 184 markers. I don't know how many people attend it, but it's it's right in that zone, right outside the building, in that grassy area where they they they've made that memorial. And 184 people, to include I think two infants, are are memorialized there forever, which is very touching. It was a that was a hard place to go back to. Still was New York City when I went to it because I'd never I had never been 20 years 20 years yet 18 years before I ever went to to New York City to see the recovery there. I've never I've not been to the to the to the Pennsylvania field. I plan to go. I want to go. Just hadn't been convenient to get there, but but if I do that, I will have seen all all the sites. Michael Hingson  1:01:26 Yeah, I haven't been to Pennsylvania either. In 2017, I did make it to the World Trade Center Museum. In well, so we moved out of Westfield, and I moved back to California in late January, beginning of February of 2002, to work for Guide Dogs for the Blind and and speak from there. And traveled around and speak. Karen was there for a couple more months selling our home, and then she came out. But in May of 2002, Roselle was going to be honored by Hart's Mountain, the pet food and pet supply company. So, so we went back to New York, and while we were there, I met one of the police officers with with one of the service with one of the rescue dogs that that had been around the World Trade Center, and he arranged for us to get in a vehicle and drive down into the pit that was where the World Trade Center was, and they had built an artificial, well, a temporary road, and they were bringing things up, but we got to go down to what would have been the seventh sublevel, the bottom of the tower, and it was just a for me just imagining it standing in that dirt area in a hole seven stories deep and remembering what what it was like, and then in 2017 I went to the World Trade Center Museum and got to spend a little bit of time there, and of course everything had been rebuilt. The reflecting pool was there, and so on. But it was nothing like what I remembered from having been in the World Trade Center, and I walked around with someone who was able to be aware and describe what was where we were and what was above us, or what part of the building we were in as we walked through the complex. But of course, it was totally different. So it was it was such a strange feeling to experience all of that. But we did it, you know. And so now I've been to the museum, and actually there is a there's an animal exhibit in the basement, and Roselle's collar is is part of that exhibit. We donated that to oh Bob Ellis  1:03:50 really, oh really, oh God, I I was I was thinking that when I asked you that question earlier today, and I was thinking about that that has got to be remarkable, you know that that that's what touched me so much at the period. That the fact that the two of you were such a team, and I read everything that newspapers printed and watched. I guess there was some there was some CBS specials and so forth too, where you were interviewed, and it was it was just it was just absolutely amazing. Michael Hingson  1:04:21 Well, it is. you know, it is a an awe-inspiring sort of thing. And you know, people always say, you know, don't you feel guilty about surviving when so many people didn't? And and I said, no, I I didn't have any control over that. But what I do have control over is having been a survivor. What am I going to do about it? It's my responsibility to decide how I'm going to deal with moving forward after something like that. And of course, the opportunity opened to travel and speak, and so I've been doing it ever since. And I believe my job is. Is to educate people about what happened on September 11th, and let them know t

Firefighters from the New York City Fire Department flew out to New Zealand to do the Sky Tower walk today to commemorate the 343 firefighters who were killed 25 years ago on September 11th, 2001. New York firefighter Dave Morkal was on ground zero that day, and he joined Andrew Dickens to discuss. "As soon as we got there it was work is on. This is what we have to do. We have to save as many people as we can." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Apple News Today team is off for Labor Day, but we have a special story for you instead: As we approach the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11, The Atlantic spent time with the family of Kevin Dowdell, a lieutenant of an elite unit in the New York City Fire Department. He taught his teen sons, Patrick and James, to take action and never sit on the sidelines. When Dowdell disappeared on 9/11, Patrick and James joined their father's rescue unit and went to Ground Zero to search for him.Their story, reported by Sally Jenkins, was the Apple News+ Story of the Month for August. Subscribers to Apple News+ can get narrated articles like this one every day. Your News+ subscription also includes access to more than 500 publications, 100,000+ recipes, premium local news, exclusive daily puzzles, and more. Go to apple.com/news to start your free trial today. Today's episode was hosted by Gideon Resnick.

Security Management magazine Editor-in-Chief Claire Meyer spills the tea on a big crisis-communications package, the content calendar for 2027, and the first step to getting published online. Then, management and leadership consultant Gregory Shea, PhD, author of the recent Rising From Ground Zero: 9/11 and the FDNY's Path Through Crisis to Transformation, shares leadership lessons gathered from another notable, much-older story: The Endurance's captain Ernest Shackleton and his nearly fatal expedition in the early 1900s to Antarctica that saw him and his crew survive against all odds. It's a preview of the CSO Center Secure Horizons two-day seminar at this month's GSX in Atlanta, Georgia. This episode is generously sponsored by Belfry. Note: Shea's interview does include a mention of suicidal thoughts. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health struggle, emotional distress, or just need someone to talk to, the International Association for Suicide Prevention provides a helpline assistant to connect you with a crisis helpline in your country: https://findahelpline.com Additional Resources Learn more about Belfry, this episode's sponsor, here: https://www.belfrysoftware.com/ Dig into Security Management's Focus on Crisis Communication content package here: https://www.asisonline.org/security-management-magazine/articles/2026/08/crisis-communications/ In the package above, Pamela Meyer's “Why ‘Never Go Off-Script' is Advice for Amateurs” especially caught the eye of Senior Editor Megan Gates. Check it out here: https://www.asisonline.org/security-management-magazine/articles/2026/08/crisis-communications/never-go-off-script/ Explore the Security Management editorial calendar and other guidelines for potential authors here: https://www.asisonline.org/security-management-magazine/resources/writers-guidelines/ Gregory Shea shared some of the key incident response and leadership lessons from the New York City Fire Department during 9/11 in this article with Security Management: https://www.asisonline.org/security-management-magazine/articles/2026/08/crisis-communications/FDNY-leadership-lessons/ Want a crash course in what made the Shackleton expedition so noteworthy? Narrated by Liam Neeson, the documentary The Endurance is Gregory Shea's No. 1 recommendation to newbies to the explorer: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0264578/ Antarctica has shown up in security news recently, too. Read about environmental activists ramming a fishing boat in waters between the tip of South America and Antarctica here: https://www.asisonline.org/security-management-magazine/latest-news/today-in-security/2026/april/aggressive-environmental-activism/ Did we mention that GSX 2026 happens this month, 14-16 September, in Atlanta, Georgia? The team at Security Management hopes to see you there for a special “Meet the Editors” session on the first day of the conference: https://www.gsx.org/special-events/

Tom O'Connor, Retired Lieutenant with the New York City Fire Department joins Chris and Amy to share his experience responding on 9/11, and how the the Tunnel to Towers Foundation supports wounded veterans, Gold Star families and fallen first responder families. He also previews the World Trade Center steel beam display near Busch Stadium.

Team USA's Folarin Balogun will be available to play in today's Round of 16 game against Belgium after his red card was suspended. President Donald Trump reacted to the decision on Truth Social, thanking FIFA for ‘reversing a great injustice.' Belgium's soccer federation has criticized the ruling, saying it is exploring its options to "safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play."Trump is set to travel to the Turkish capital, Ankara, for a key meeting with NATO allies. He is expected to meet with Turkish President Recep Erdogan separately ahead of that meeting. Trump is also scheduled to hold separate meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa before wrapping up the summit with a news conference. A major focus of the summit will be whether NATO allies are making progress toward higher defense spending commitments.A small seaplane was seen making a hard landing into New York's East River on Sunday afternoon. New York City Fire Department officials say at least eight people were removed from the plane; two of whom were evaluated for minor injuries. The FAA said it will launch an investigation into why the plane had to make an emergency landing. The agency says the hard landing caused a wing strut to snap. The aircraft was later towed to a dock.

Alvin and German conduct a great conversation with Chaplain (Lt Col), retired FDNY firefighter, ordained chaplain, and nationally recognized leader in Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM), , Van Don Williams '77. Van Don has dedicated his life to serving others through emergency response, spiritual care, crisis intervention, and leadership. He began his career with the New York City Fire Department, where he served for more than 20 years as an Emergency First Responder and Battalion Firefighter. After Colgate he earned a Master of Science degree in Fire Protection Management from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, becoming the first active-duty African American firefighter in FDNY history to attain that degree. His experience responding to disasters fueled a passion for Critical Incident Stress Management, a commitment that deepened after surviving the collapse of World Trade Center Tower One during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. In the aftermath of that tragedy, Van Don used his chaplain training to help fellow firefighters and first responders navigate grief, trauma, and healing. Following his retirement, Van Don continued his work in crisis response and mental health support. He currently serves as Deputy Chief of Chaplains for the United States Air Force Civil Air Patrol, holding the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. During his more than 30 years of service with Civil Air Patrol, he has served at the squadron, group, wing, region, and national levels, while also developing and implementing Critical Incident Stress Management programs throughout the organization. At Colgate, Van Don earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Anthropology. He later earned a Master of Divinity and continued a lifelong commitment to leadership, service, and helping others heal in times of crisis.

Pete Utschig spent 22 years with the New York City Fire Department before retiring to chase fish full-time. Today he's the founder of Phase Gear — a technical apparel company built specifically for surf casters, by a surf caster. In this conversation, Peter from The Saltwater Edge talks with Pete about: - Why his snowboarding business partner kept asking "why is all your fishing gear so heavy?" — and what they did about it - The list of grievances every surf caster will recognize (hoods that blow off, soaked cuffs, gasketed necks, pockets that fill with water) and how Phase Gear engineered them out - What it's like to fund a company out of your pension and keep inventory on the shelf one retirement check at a time - Why Pete has turned down investor offers - The single hardest skill to learn — in fishing and in business — and how it's the same answer twice - What's next for Phase Gear as it expands beyond the surf Show notes and the full conversation at saltwateredge.com/blogs/saltwater-edge Shop Phase Gear: https://www.saltwateredge.com/search?q=phase+gear Learn more about the brand: https://phase-gear.com

Some moments in history are forever etched into memory—and for those who lived through them firsthand, the impact never truly fades. In this powerful and deeply moving episode, Lt. George Kreuschner of the New York City Fire Department shares A View of 9/11, offering a personal perspective on one of the most tragic days in modern history. Reflecting on the events surrounding the September 11 attacks, Lt. Kreuschner discusses the courage, chaos, and humanity witnessed during the response to the attacks. He shares insights into the realities faced by firefighters and first responders, the bonds forged under unimaginable circumstances, and the lasting emotional impact carried long after the smoke cleared. This episode goes beyond history books and headlines, focusing on the human experience behind the tragedy. What was it like to be there in those critical moments? How did first responders cope with the overwhelming scale of the disaster? And what lessons about resilience, sacrifice, and service continue to resonate today? Join us for a solemn and unforgettable conversation that honors the bravery of first responders and the memory of those lost—where firsthand experience reminds us of the strength of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable tragedy.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-x-zone-radio-tv-show--1078348/support.Please note that all XZBN radio and/or television shows are Copyright © REL-MAR McConnell Meda Company, Niagara, Ontario, Canada – www.rel-mar.com. For more Episodes of this show and all shows produced, broadcasted and syndicated from REL-MAR McConell Media Company and The 'X' Zone Broadcast Network and the 'X' Zone TV Channell, visit www.xzbn.net. For programming, distribution, and syndication inquiries, email programming@xzbn.net.We are proud to announce the we have launched TWATNews.com, launched in August 2025.TWATNews.com is an independent online news platform dedicated to uncovering the truth about Donald Trump and his ongoing influence in politics, business, and society. Unlike mainstream outlets that often sanitize, soften, or ignore stories that challenge Trump and his allies, TWATNews digs deeper to deliver hard-hitting articles, investigative features, and sharp commentary that mainstream media won't touch.These are stories and articles that you will not read anywhere else.Our mission is simple: to expose corruption, lies, and authoritarian tendencies while giving voice to the perspectives and evidence that are often marginalized or buried by corporate-controlled media

Almost 100 years ago, a firefighter named Wesley A. Williams, the first Black officer in the New York City Fire Department, rescued people from a tenement building fire. AND An 18-year-old climber survives a 260-foot fall down a mountain against all odds. To see videos and photos referenced in this episode, visit GodUpdates! https://www.godtube.com/blog/rescue-connects-two-families.html https://www.godtube.com/blog/18-year-old-survives-fall.html Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Maximizing Fireground Effectiveness: Radio Communication, Leadership, and Training Insights with Chief Mark GregoryIn this episode, Battalion Chief Mark Gregory from the New York City Fire Department shares valuable lessons on radio discipline, leadership, and maintaining professionalism under stress. We explore practical strategies for effective communication, building trust within teams, and training to handle the unpredictability of fireground scenarios.Key topics:The importance of brevity and clarity in radio communications to enhance safetyHow to effectively size up fires with quick, specific reports (including timestamps and standard phrases)Building trust through personal interactions and consistent leadership behaviorsThe role of routine, discipline, and training in preventing line-of-duty injuriesTechniques for staying composed, making decisions, and controlling tempo during emergenciesThe significance of using versatile tools and understanding fundamentals to improve efficiencyThe power of respectful, personable communication with crew members—including using first names strategicallyThe value of continuous learning, peer teaching, and embracing humility to develop as a firefighter and leaderPreventing mistakes by slowing down, thinking, and practicing Mayday scenarios regularlyBridging the gap between training and real-world application to ensure readiness at all levels

Clarence Singleton joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1967 while was still in high school. The valedictorian then went through boot camp at Parris Island and was eager to join the fight in Vietnam. He arrived in early 1968 and endured a major rocket attack on his first night there. He would be seriously wounded just days before his tour in Vietnam was set to end.Several years later, he joined the New York City Fire Department and ended up responding to both terrorist attacks against the World Trade Center in 1993 and 2001.In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Singleton tells us how Parris Island changed him and prepared him for war. He describes combat in Vietnam and takes us through the day he was shot multiple times by enemy forces.Singleton then tells us about responding to the 1993 terrorist bombing at the World Trade Center and how he helped a woman going into premature labor. He also details rushing to the twin towers on 9/11 even though he had retired a year earlier and shares how he miraculously survived the collapse of the North Tower.

Be sure and join us with our special guest, FDNY veteran and actor Jack McGee. He was born in the South Bronx, New York, the youngest of eight children. He attended Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx, where he was class president and also played on the Football team, and appeared as a member of the background harmony in The Young Rascals. In 1977, he became a firefighter for the New York City Fire Department. As a firefighter, he served with FDNY Engine Company 38 and Ladder Company 51 in the Bronx. During his acting career, he was in the TV Series RESCUE ME, he portrayed FDNY 15th Battalion Chief Jerry Reilly. He also played Otis Schmidt, the driver and engineer in the movie BACKDRAFT. He has appeared in over 100 films and television series. Going to be another great show. We will get the whole skinny. You don't want to miss this one. Join us at the kitchen table on the BEST FIREFIGHTER PODCAST ON THE INTERNET! You can also Listen to our podcast ...we are on all the players #lovethisjob #GiveBackMoreThanYouTake #Oldschool #Tradition #volunteerfirefighters #FDNY #learyfirefightersfoundation #rescuemeBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/gettin-salty-experience-firefighter-podcast--4218265/support.

When Sarinya Srisakul joined the New York City Fire Department, she made history as the first Asian American woman firefighter in the city. Her story ignited a movement for women interested in firefighting around the states. From her first day on the job to becoming president of the United Women Firefighters, Sarinya has fought more than just flames — she's fought for fairness, representation, and every woman's right to take up space where she belongs. This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. It's based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. This episode was narrated by Sura Siu. It was produced by Danielle Roth and directed by Ashton Carter, with sound design and mixing by Mumble Media.  The story was written by Danielle Roth and edited by Haley Dapkus. Fact checking by Danielle Roth and Sam Gebauer. Our executive producers were Anjelika Temple and Jes Wolfe. Original theme music was composed and performed by Elettra Bargiacchi. A special thanks to the whole Rebel Girls team, who make this podcast possible! Until next time, stay rebel!

Today we have the great honor of welcoming Deputy Chief Jay Jonas. He was appointed to the New York City Fire Department on November 24, 1979. After graduating from probie school, he was first assigned to Engine Company 46 in the Bronx. He then crossed the floor to Ladder 27, where he honed his craft at the “Cross Bronx Express.” Seeking broader knowledge and experience, he transferred to Rescue Company 3, responding to some of the Bronx's most challenging fires and emergencies. Deputy Chief Jonas was later promoted to Lieutenant, serving with Ladder 11 on the Lower East Side. He then rose to the rank of Captain and was assigned to Ladder 6, where he served as company commander on September 11, 2001. Just one week after 9/11, he was promoted to Battalion Chief and assigned to the 2nd Battalion. In 2007, he achieved the rank of Deputy Chief in the 7th Division, where he continued his distinguished service until his retirement on July 9, 2022, marking the close of a remarkable 42-year career with the FDNY.

Send us a textSummary: In this episode of the PIO Podcast, Stephen Kuhr shares his extensive experience in emergency management, discussing his journey from the New York City Emergency Medical Service to his role at Colorado Springs Utilities. He emphasizes the importance of crisis communication, the differences between public and private sector emergency management, and the critical lessons learned throughout his career. Stephen highlights the need for transparency and effective communication during crises, and he shares practical insights on integrating crisis communications into emergency management plans.Steven's BIO: Steven Kuhr has spent his career in Emergency Management, building a diverse portfolio of leadership positions across multiple sectors. Mr. Kuhr served as Director of Emergency Management, Enterprise Continuity, and Security Operations at Colorado Springs Utilities.While serving in this position, Mr. Kuhr oversaw crisis, risk, and resiliency operations for energy and water utilities and dam operations for Colorado's second largest city. During this 0time, Mr. Kuhr also served as a Director with the InfraGard-Denver and co-founded the Colorado Critical Infrastructure Alliance.Earlier, Mr. Kuhr served with the New York City Office of Emergency Management as a founding Deputy Commissioner, leading emergency operations and multi-risk emergency planning. Prior to that he served with the New York City Fire Department as EMS Deputy Chief and Special Operations Commander. Mr. Kuhr is a trusted Crisis Management Leader. He has advised elected officials, CEOs and “C-Suite” Leaders during complex emergencies, major disasters, and terrorist attacks. Mr. Kuhr is also a respected consultant, serving as Managing Director and Emergency Management Practice Leader at Kroll Inc., and President and Chief Operating Officer at Strategic Emergency Group LLC. Mr. Kuhr has advised a variety of organizations in several business industries and government sectors to include federal, state, and local government agencies, transportation (rail, aviation, seaport, and surface), financial, energy (electricity/natural gas), water/wastewater, dams, major league baseball, cable news,  commercial properties, defense, justice, law enforcement, and an agency serving people with disabilities and special needs.The Brandon T. Adams Audio ExperienceWelcome to The Brandon T. Adams Audio Experience, hosted by entrepreneur, investor,...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showOur premiere sponsor, Social News Desk, has an exclusive offer for PIO Podcast listeners. Head over to socialnewsdesk.com/pio to get three months free when a qualifying agency signs up.

Lindsay is joined by author Andrew Serra to discuss his book, “Hell's Hundred Acres” about the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. March 25, 1911. Hundreds of seamstresses are hard at work on the upper floors of a ten-story factory loft. The workday ends and Esther Greenberg stands from her sewing machine and heads for the stairs, looking forward to her plans for that Saturday evening. “Fire!” someone shouts, and Esther sees smoke outside the windows. The building is ablaze and she's trapped nine stories up.Charlie Pendergrass has learned a great deal since becoming a fireman—about the job and himself. But he must decide what kind of future he wants, and he just might lose it all to the flames.From the irascible fire chief Edward Croker to the ruthless business magnate Max Blanck, Hell's Hundred Acres is the richly detailed story of the disparate lives that intersected at one of the deadliest tragedies in New York City history—the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. Andrew Serra spent twenty-five years with the New York City Fire Department, retiring as the captain of Ladder 20 in SoHo—Hell's Hundred Acres. He is the author of several historical novels and the 9/11 memoir, Finding John. He's appeared on FOX-5 NY Good Day Wake Up, NY1 News Around the Boroughs, and been featured on Elvis Duran and the Morning Show. He lives in New York City with his wife and two children. You can learn about the other books on his website. Become a member on Buy Me A Coffee for as little as $1/month to support the show.  You can write to us at: Ye Olde Crime Podcast, PO Box 341, Wyoming, MN 55092. Join the conversation over at the Cultiv8 Discord and join the Olde Crimers Cubby to chat with us and other listeners of the show. Leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, Podchaser, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Audible, or Goodpods! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Threads, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Making a return for his third appearance on StoryBeat is the great jazz and world flutist, Michael Mason.  Michael's been a professional musician and composer for forty years, while simultaneously working in the fire service of the Downers Grove, Illinois Fire Department, recently retiring at the rank of Lieutenant. Michael is one of the first responders from the Chicago area who flew to New York City just days after the destruction of the World Trade Center. He helped the New York City Fire Department and Port Authority for many weeks. In 2024, Michael released his latest album called “Luminosity,” which follows up 2023's, “Impermanence,” “Transcendence” in 2022, and “Human Revolution” in 2021. All are original jazz and world music compositions which received approval for voting from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences for Grammy Award consideration.Michael's musical influences come from James Newton, Ian Anderson, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, Sun Ra, Yusef Lateef, and James Galway.I've listened multiple times to each of his excellent records and can tell you Michael's impressive work will instantly soothe your soul with warm, beautiful melodies, gorgeous arrangements, and Michael's brilliance on the flute.  I highly recommend you check out his wonderful recordings and music.Michael's currently in the studio mixing 8 new songs for release in 2025 on the AVG Records label, so be sure to look out for that.Michael's been gracious enough to lend us his radiant composition, Moments from Luminosity. Please be sure to stick around at the end of the show to give it a listen. 

In this episode of Hashing Out the Law, host Arash Hashemi sits down with Andrew Serra, a retired FDNY captain and accomplished author. They delve into Andrew's 25-year career with the New York City Fire Department, his transition to writing, and the inspiration behind his latest historical novel, 'Hell's Hundred Acres'.The conversation covers:Andrew's journey from firefighter to author.Insights into his previous works, including the 9/11 memoir, 'Finding John'.An in-depth discussion on the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire of 1911, the central event of 'Hell's Hundred Acres'.How this tragic event led to significant fire safety reforms that still impact us today.Join us for a compelling discussion that bridges history, literature, and the evolution of fire safety laws.Learn more about Andrew Serra and his work at https://www.AndrewSerra.com.Law Offices of Arash Hashemihttps://www.HashemiLaw.com11845 W Olympic BlvdSuite 520Los Angeles, CA 90064Tel: (310) 448-1529#HashingOutTheLaw #AndrewSerra #HellsHundredAcres #TriangleShirtwaistFactoryFire #FireSafetyReforms #LegalPodcast #BetterCallHash #LosAngeles #Podcast

Andrew Serra is a retired New York City Fire Department captain with 25 years of service. A seasoned writer of historical fiction, he has explored a wide range of pivotal moments in history, from the Italian Renaissance and the French Revolution to the Occupy Wall Street protests. In addition to his novels, Serra authored Finding John, a memoir detailing his firsthand experience as a 9/11 responder during the World Trade Center rescue and recovery operation. His expertise has led to numerous television news and documentary appearances, where he has provided critical insights into the 9/11 attacks and their aftermath.Join retired NYC Fire Captain and author Andrew Serra as he delves into history's defining moments, uncovering the untold stories behind tragedy, resilience, and change. From the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire of 1911 to the 9/11 attacks, Serra brings a unique perspective shaped by decades of firsthand experience in emergency response and historical research. Through compelling storytelling and expert interviews, this podcast explores the past's impact on our present and future.http://www.andrewserra.com/hells-hundred-acresBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/i-am-refocused-radio--2671113/support.

What kind of man or woman are you? Just after the 911 attack, I was in New York City. I've seen some real heroes to me from the New York City Fire Department. I remember their courage and selfless service to save lives - to give up their lives. I want you to open your hearts and really examine yourself. What kind of man or woman are you? Each one of us is called to lead in some fashion. Ask yourself these questions: Are you doing it? Have you stepped up to the plate? Are you doing your part? When we talk about leadership, there are some men who are going to help win the war. And there are some men who are just never gonna really do anything. What kind of man or woman are you? What kind of man am I? Jerry Leachman of ⁠Leachman Ministries⁠ is a favorite speaker at The Center's events. Along with being an associate Chaplain in The NFL for many years, Jerry has done ministry in Guatemala, Scotland, Russia, Europe and Africa as well as all over the U.S. He and his wife Holly have been on Young Life Staff and continue to be involved with Young Life here and also internationally.

Today's West Coast Cookbook & Speakeasy Podcast for our especially special Daily Special, Smothered Benedict Wednesdays, is now available on the Spreaker Player!Starting off in the Bistro Cafe, a new book exposes the lies behind the myth of Trump's business acumen.Then, on the rest of the menu, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed three bills to crack down on the use of artificial intelligence to create false images or videos in political ads ahead of the 2024 election; two former New York City Fire Department chiefs were arrested on charges of soliciting tens of thousands of dollars in bribes for preferential treatment to some individuals and companies; and, new archaeology at an abandoned Oregon town reveals the hidden lives of segregated Black logging families in the 1920's.After the break, we move to the Chef's Table where the Vatican opened a new investigation into leaks surrounding its ‘trial of the century' London property investment probe; and, Australian police infiltrated the encrypted global messaging app Ghost and arrested dozens.All that and more, on West Coast Cookbook & Speakeasy with Chef de Cuisine Justice Putnam.Bon Appétit!The Netroots Radio Live Player​Keep Your Resistance Radio Beaming 24/7/365!“It may be safely averred that good cookery is the best and truest economy, turning to full account every wholesome article of food, and converting into palatable meals what the ignorant either render uneatable or throw away in disdain.” - Eliza Acton ‘Modern Cookery for Private Families' (1845)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/west-coast-cookbook-speakeasy--2802999/support.

AP correspondent Julie Walker reports on a day America remembers the almost 3,000 killed on 9/11, the New York City Fire Department also remembers it's fallen 343 members.

Robert Tucker, the brand-new Commissioner of the New York City Fire Department, makes his debut on the program with Sid to discuss his new gig and why it's a dream come true for him.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mickey Farrell is a Lieutenant in the New York City Fire Department, a third-generation firefighter with 29 years of experience, the last 23 years being with the FDNY. Also a team instructor at the New York City Fire Academy, founder and author of Top Floor Tactics, and host of ‘A View From the Top Floor Podcast'. topfloortactics.com @topfloortactics @national_fire _radio youtube.com/@NationalFireRadio Sponsorship: @southwest_fire_academy  Editing: @bradshea Marketing: @m.pletz Administration: @haileyfirefit

The canonization of the first millennial saint has sparked calls for a queer saint. For some, Father Mychal Judge, New York City Fire Department chaplain and the first certified 9/11 casualty, is at the center of these calls. Antonio Pagliarulo, writer and author of The Evil Eye: The History, Mystery & Magic of the Quiet Curse (Weiser Books, 2023), makes the case.

True Crime Author series "Good Folks Mad City" by Mike Colon. #MikeColon #truecrimestories #NYPD #FDNY Good Folks, Mad City: Life on The Edge in The FDNY & NYPD extracts 40 stories from the over 200 first responder interviews that I have done on my podcast Mic'd in New Haven over the years with both active and retired members of the New York City Fire Department and New York City Police Department. These stories range from phenomenal technical rescues, major criminal investigations, hostage rescues, shootouts, major fires, defusing bombs, and the response to the World Trade Center attacks in both 1993 and 2001. A gripping firsthand recollection of some of the biggest emergencies in New York City's history as told by the men and women in blue and red who were there, this book will take you a wild ride on what it's like to walk the beat or run to box alarms in the greatest city in the world.

Send us a Text Message.Marty spoke to Chris DeFlorio, the author of the book 'Called Into Darkness'. When Chris, an NYPD Cop, and Harmony, an FDNY EMT, first met at a Police precinct in New York City, they were never expecting to be prepared for an even bigger purpose. This TRUE STORY of two lost souls, living separate lives and searching for meaning, are brought together, healed, and restored by God to be sent out to battle the Supernatural. They will need all the skills from their worldly jobs as first responders combined with faith as they fight against God's ancient foe, the Devil himself, who is terrorizing innocent families. You will see the Sovereign Plan of God, step by step, in both of their lives as they were equipped to help others in this physical and spiritual world. It is a story of personal healing through the love of God and passing the gift forward to the hurting as they enter home after home, bringing the same peace of God to others.The Ministry of Spiritual Warfare was just the next step for this couple as the reader experiences what it was like for them in the famous news case that rocked Connecticut in 2021.Chris DeFlorio was a Nationally Certified Paramedic during the 90s while running an ambulance in the busy South Bronx for the New York City Fire Department. As he moved into the New York City Police Department in 2003, he spent years in the "Plain Clothes Unit" as an undercover cop in dangerous Harlem, where he was able to study the crime habits of the city's worst and most violent offenders. He is a Christian who has worked in ministry for over 15 years, ranging from evangelism and caring for the homeless throughout New York to missionary work in Africa. Chris has been featured in an international Documentary called "It's Coming. He has also been interviewed in dozens of articles ranging from hauntings to Serial Killers, Ted Bundy, Jefferey Dahmer, and Lori Vallow.Now, along with his wife, he combines his first responder skills acquired over 25 years of experience and faith as they travel the country investigating and helping families with demonic issues infesting their lives. You can buy his book HEREGET YOUR HOSTAGE TO THE DEVIL MERCH AT OUR SHOP AT  www.causewaypictures.comLight in the DarknessA supernatural & paranormal podcast with Christian perspectiveListen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the Show.SUPPORT THE SHOW

Send us a Text Message.Todays episode features Joseph Bonanno. Joe Bonanno is a 21 year veteran firefighter with the New York City Fire Department and served in Engine 319, Ladder 129 and Ladder 152. Joe's father was a 34 year FDNY veteran firefighter in Engine 88 and Engine 306 as well as his brother Michael, also a firefighter in Engine 315, Engine 216 and Ladder 7. While serving as a firefighter, Joe became certified as a fitness trainer and nutritionist with certifications from New York University, The American Council on Exercise, The Aerobics and Fitness Association of America and The International Sports Medicine Association.Joseph started preparing healtier meals at the firehouse for his crew and in 1995, he published his first cookbook, The Healthy Firehouse Cookbook. Joseph also entered and won may firehouse cooking contests which led to appearances on "Live with Regis", The Martha Stewart Show, The Today Show, Good Morning America and many others. Josephs was with the crew of FDNY Ladder 3 filming a local news spot the morning of 9/11. Later that morning, all 12 crew members would be killed in the collapse of the towers. Joseph and his brother, Michael who was also an FDNY Firefighter spent the following days at ground zero helping to search for any survivors and recover their lost brothers. Sadly, Josephs brother Michael committed suicide in 2012.Joseph now works to help firefighters who may be struggling with mental health problems by partnering with the Firefighters Behavioral Health Alliance to bring an end to Firefighter Suicide. Check out the American Firehouse Cuisine Website Here!https://americanfirehousecuisine.com/The American Firehouse Cuisine YouTube Show!https://www.youtube.com/@americanfirehousecuisineFor information about the Firefighters Behavioral Health Alliance:https://www.ffbha.org/Support the Show.

The Rich Zeoli Show- Full Episode (04/19/2024): 3:05pm- On Friday, a man set himself on fire in Collect Pond Park right outside of the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse where Donald Trump's “hush money” trial was unfolding. According to the New York City Fire Department, the man was brought to New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and is currently in critical condition. 3:30pm- The twelve jurors serving on former President Donald Trump's Manhattan “hush money” trial have been selected—along with six alternate jurors. According to reports, opening arguments in the case will begin on Monday. Trump has been indicted for attempting to conceal payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg alleges that the payment concealment amounted to falsified business records which influenced the 2016 election. 4:05pm- The New York Post reports: “The man who lit himself on fire outside Manhattan court during former President Donald Trump's ‘hush money' trial Friday is a self-described ‘investigative researcher' who arrived in New York in the past few days, police said… Moments before he doused himself in gasoline and set himself ablaze, Azzarello tossed a stack of pamphlets into the air, which included links to a Substack newsletter apparently authored by the self-immolator called ‘The Ponzi Papers.' At the top of the site is an article with the headline “I have set myself on fire outside of the trump Trial,” followed by a rambling manifesto riddled with conspiracy theories on everything from cryptocurrency and Hollywood actors to COVID and former President Bill Clinton.” You can read the full article from Larry Celona, Joe Marino, and Chris Nesi here: https://nypost.com/2024/04/19/us-news/man-who-set-self-on-fire-outside-trump-trial-idd-as-max-azzarello/ 4:30pm- On Saturday, the House of Representatives will vote on four foreign aid bills totaling $95 billion—including a package that would send $60 billion to Ukraine. The bills cleared a procedural hurdle on Friday with bipartisan support—316 to 94, passing with more Democrat than Republican support. 4:50pm- Prior to entering the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse on Friday, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said “the gag order has got to come off”—noting that it's infringing upon his freedom of speech and prevents him from being open with the press. 5:05pm- Dr. Wilfred Reilly—Professor of Political Science at Kentucky State University—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss his latest article for National Review, “Why the Rise in Trans Shooters?” You can read the full article here:  https://www.nationalreview.com/2024/04/why-the-rise-in-trans-shooters/. Dr. Reilly's new book, “Lies My Liberal Teacher Told Me,” releases on June 11th but you can pre-order it now: https://a.co/d/jd6PjBb. 5:35pm- While speaking in Pennsylvania, President Joe Biden said that little kids regularly give him the middle finger. Plus, Fox News' Peter Doocy asked White House Press Secretary to clarify remarks Biden made earlier this week when he seemingly suggested his uncle was eaten by cannibals in New Guinea. 5:40pm- Students in the Nebo School District in Utah held a walkout after they were allegedly harassed by a small group of students who self-identify as “furries” and dress in animal costumes. According to the protesting students, school administrators allow the “furries” to bark at and bite other students without repercussions. 6:05pm- Daniel Turner—Founder & Executive Director of Power the Future—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss the Biden Administration's decision to restrict oil and gas leasing in an Alaskan area that's roughly 13 million acres and crucial to the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve. You can learn more about Power the Future here: https://powerthefuture.com/about-us/ 6:30pm- On Friday, a man set himself on fire in Collect Pond Park right outside of the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse where Donald Trump's “hush money” trial was unfolding. According to the New York City Fire Department, the man was brought to New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and is currently in critical condition. 6:35pm- On Saturday, the House of Representatives will vote on four foreign aid bills totaling $95 billion—including a package that would send $60 billion to Ukraine. The bills cleared a procedural hurdle on Friday with bipartisan support—316 to 94, passing with more Democrat than Republican support. 6:40pm- The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board writes: “California has spent $24 billion to combat homelessness over the last five years—and what did it get for its money? More homelessness, according to a new state audit that should embarrass Sacramento and infuriate taxpayers.” You can read the full editorial here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/california-homelessness-state-audit-grant-parks-gavin-newsom-e51d349b?mod=opinion_lead_pos2

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 1: 3:05pm- On Friday, a man set himself on fire in Collect Pond Park right outside of the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse where Donald Trump's “hush money” trial was unfolding. According to the New York City Fire Department, the man was brought to New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and is currently in critical condition. 3:30pm- The twelve jurors serving on former President Donald Trump's Manhattan “hush money” trial have been selected—along with six alternate jurors. According to reports, opening arguments in the case will begin on Monday. Trump has been indicted for attempting to conceal payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg alleges that the payment concealment amounted to falsified business records which influenced the 2016 election.

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 4: 6:05pm- Daniel Turner—Founder & Executive Director of Power the Future—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss the Biden Administration's decision to restrict oil and gas leasing in an Alaskan area that's roughly 13 million acres and crucial to the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve. You can learn more about Power the Future here: https://powerthefuture.com/about-us/ 6:30pm- On Friday, a man set himself on fire in Collect Pond Park right outside of the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse where Donald Trump's “hush money” trial was unfolding. According to the New York City Fire Department, the man was brought to New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and is currently in critical condition. 6:35pm- On Saturday, the House of Representatives will vote on four foreign aid bills totaling $95 billion—including a package that would send $60 billion to Ukraine. The bills cleared a procedural hurdle on Friday with bipartisan support—316 to 94, passing with more Democrat than Republican support. 6:40pm- The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board writes: “California has spent $24 billion to combat homelessness over the last five years—and what did it get for its money? More homelessness, according to a new state audit that should embarrass Sacramento and infuriate taxpayers.” You can read the full editorial here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/california-homelessness-state-audit-grant-parks-gavin-newsom-e51d349b?mod=opinion_lead_pos2

Growing up in Staten Island, Colin Jost hung around many of his mother's colleagues at the New York City Fire Department. He quickly gained an appreciation for the power of laughter, even in grave circumstances. By middle school, Jost was doing David Letterman impressions for classmates, and less than a decade later, while enrolled at Harvard, he rose to the top of the masthead of the school's humor magazine, the Lampoon. Suffice it to say, Jost's talents as a writer and performer were clear to all, and he routinely demonstrates this aptitude on S.N.L.'s Weekend Update, which he has co-hosted with Michael Che since 2014. On this week's episode of Table for Two, Jost joins host and AIR MAIL contributor Bruce Bozzi to reflect on his early days as a comedy writer, the comedians and actors who influenced him, and the joys of raising his son, Cosmo, alongside his wife, Scarlett Johansson.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Show Notes Five Minutes to Chaos has reached its 52nd episode, marking a significant milestone in the success of the podcast. The podcast has featured a diverse range of guests and panel episodes, covering various crisis events and innovative approaches to crisis management. For this special episode, Steven Kuhr discusses the topic of heat emergencies, which he believes captures the essence of emergency management. Key elements of managing heat emergencies include interagency collaboration, communications, public information, and the establishment of cooling centers. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Milestone 00:56 Conceptualizing the Podcast 03:21 Monologue Episode 04:14 Choosing the Topic: Heat Emergencies 08:08 History of Emergency Management in NYC 09:29 Heat Emergency in Chicago 11:25 Jerry Hauer and the Task Force 12:53 Interagency Collaboration 18:42 Reducing Heat Deaths 19:09 Monitoring and Intelligence 20:04 National Weather Service and Regional Calls 21:46 Emergency Operations Center 24:36 Communications and Public Information 27:27 Unity of Effort and Shared Situational Awareness 29:53 Cooling Centers and Transportation 32:17 Summary and Gratitude About Steven Kuhr Steven Kuhr has spent his career in Emergency Management, building a diverse portfolio of leadership positions across multiple sectors. Mr. Kuhr served as Director of Emergency Management, Enterprise Continuity, and Security Operations at Colorado Springs Utilities. While serving in this position, Mr. Kuhr oversaw crisis, risk, and resiliency operations for energy and water utilities, as well as dam operations for Colorado's second largest city. During this time, Mr. Kuhr also served as a Director with InfraGard-Denver and co-founded the Colorado Critical Infrastructure Alliance. Earlier, Mr. Kuhr served with the New York City Office of Emergency Management as a founding Deputy Commissioner where he led emergency operations and multi-risk emergency planning. Prior to that he served with the New York City Fire Department as EMS Deputy Chief and Special Operations Commander. Mr. Kuhr is a trusted Crisis Management Leader. He has advised elected officials, CEOs and “C-Suite” Leaders during complex emergencies, major disasters, and terrorist attacks. Mr. Kuhr is also a respected consultant, having served as Managing Director and Emergency Management Practice Leader at Kroll Inc., and President and Chief Operating Officer at Strategic Emergency Group LLC. Mr. Kuhr has advised a variety of organizations in several business industries and government sectors to include federal, state, and local government agencies, transportation (rail, aviation, seaport, and surface), financial, energy (electricity/natural gas), water/wastewater, dams, major league baseball, cable news, commercial properties, defense, justice, law enforcement, and an agency serving people with disabilities and special needs. Mr. Kuhr Hosts “5 Minutes to Chaos – A Podcast”, a weekly podcast available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, where he and guests explore the complexities of crisis management. Mr. Kuhr holds a Master of Science in Homeland Security Management and a Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management Administration. He is a Colorado Certified Threat Liaison Officer and held a certification as an Advanced EMT-IV Paramedic. Contact Information https://www.linkedin.com/in/skuhr/

How does the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) use drones? Hello Smart Firefighting Community! Welcome to another episode of covering real world innovations via interviews with fire service and technology industry experts that empower YOU to develop your very own Smart Firefighting strategy! Welcome to this 20-episode ⁠Texas Robotics Summit⁠ Mini Series! This 4 day event (March 4-7, 2024) was hosted at the ⁠Reveille Peak Ranch⁠ and by our friends at ⁠Granite Defense⁠, and showcased the use of robotics (air/water/ground) in public safety via keynote presentations, training scenario stations, roundtable conversations, and more. In this episode: FDNY's innovative use of drones for water rescues Overcoming NYC's unique challenges with robotics Embracing future tech for better firefighting tactics Learn from New York City Fire Department's Captain Michael Leo and Lieutenant Fred Carlson. Our guests discuss using drones and robots in their operations at FDNY. They explain how drones are used for shark patrol and water rescues, as well as the challenges faced by FDNY in providing life-saving services in a densely populated city like New York. They also highlight the various robots FDNY uses, such as ground robots and sonar-equipped boats, and the value they bring to firefighting and public safety. We end by talking about future technology adoption and the importance of collaboration between companies and FDNY. So click play now to find out what they have to share! And stay tuned for the next Mini Series episode! Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.smartfirefighting.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to discover how SFF accelerates innovation for emergency responders, to find out when our next event is, or review our curated resources! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn

The New York City Fire Department is scolding some of its members for booing New York Attorney General Letitia James during a promotional event. The FDNY says the firefighters brought “discredit” to the department and is asking those members to come forward. The incident raises the question about First Amendment rights in the workforce. Should city workers be entitled to their First Amendment rights even on the job?

The New York City Fire Department is scolding some of its members for booing New York Attorney General Letitia James during a promotional event. The FDNY says the firefighters brought “discredit” to the department and is asking those members to come forward. The incident raises the question about First Amendment rights in the workforce. Should city workers be entitled to their First Amendment rights even on the job?

Making a return for his second appearance on StoryBeat is the great jazz and world flutist, Michael Mason. Michael's been playing professionally for more than 40 years.  He's led off for Trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, had master classes with James Newton, been influenced by Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson, performed with New Orleans Saxophonist Edward “Kidd” Jordan and Chicago's legendary Fred Anderson. He's also collaborated with James Galway and many artists from the legendary AACM organization.Michael's musical influences include Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, Sun Ra, and Yusef Lateef.More than a composer and musician, Michael was also a working firefighter for 38 years and is now Retired Lieutenant Michael Mason of the Downers Grove, Illinois Fire Department. He was one of the first responders from the Chicago area to fly to New York City after the World Trade Center Towers were attacked. There he worked with the New York City Fire Department and Port Authority for many weeks. You can read more about his firefighting efforts at ricofirerescue.com.   Over the past 10-plus years Michael's taught thousands of recruits at the Fire Academy to become first responders and has taught veterans how to save each other at the scene of any type of tragic incident. Please be sure to stick around at the end of this episode for a special treat. Michael has lent us his beautiful song, Freedom, from his new album, Impermanence. Freedom has also been turned into a music video as a tribute to the people of Ukraine.  The video, which can be seen on fireflute.com, has been approved by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences for Grammy voting in the Best Music Video category, and Impermanence is up for voting in the "Best Contemporary Jazz Album" category.

Joseph T. Bonanno is a 21 year veteran firefighter with the New York City Fire Department and served in Engine 319, Ladder 129 and Ladder 152. Joe's father was a 34 year FDNY veteran firefighter in Engine 88 and Engine 306 as well as his brother Michael, also a firefighter in Engine 315, Engine 216 and Ladder 7. While a firefighter, Joe became certified as a fitness trainer and nutritionist with certifications from New York University, The American Council on Exercise, The Aerobics and Fitness Association of America and The International Sports Medicine Association. Joe has appeared several times on “Live with Regis”, Martha Stewart, The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS Saturday Morning, FOX N.Y. and many others. He has been featured in the New York Times, The Daily News, The NY Post, Eating Well and Bon Appetit. A second book, The Firehouse Grilling Cookbook was then published with more appearances following. Joe and his brother Michael, worked tirelessly during the rescue and recovery efforts at Ground Zero after 9/11/2001 and their stories are contained in the 9/11/2001 FDNY section.  Upon leaving the fire service, Joe received his Culinary/Chefs Degree with honors from The Culinary Academy of Long Island, doing internships at two of Long Islands top restaurants. Find out more at https://americanfirehousecuisine.com/

A seemingly innocuous afternoon in the New York State Supreme Court building took an unexpected turn on Wednesday. A man was discovered initiating a small conflagration, as court papers went up in flame. This resulted in immediate action, triggering alarms and prompting an abrupt evacuation. The court's communications liaison, Al Baker, recounted the details of the shocking event. At the height of the afternoon, around 4 p.m., the renowned lower Manhattan structure briefly abandoned its usual calm facade, as smoke began to fill the building. Prompt response by the city's firefighters managed to extinguish the flames in short order. Nonetheless, a temporary smoky veil clouded the premises, particularly noticeable on the third and fourth floors' stairwells, as reported by ABC7. This historic edifice of jurisprudence, a familiar backdrop for legal dramas like 'Law & Order' and 'Night Court', has been recently thrumming with real-life drama. It has been the stage for the last three months for the intricate business fraud case against the nation's former President, Donald Trump. As it happened, the alarm-induced evacuation occurred just after the day's proceedings had ended. According to the New York City Fire Department, the situation led to 17 minor injuries. Amongst the evacuees, two individuals were briskly transported to a nearby hospital, while the rest, such as presiding Judge Arthur Engoron, chose to reject on-site treatment. Thankfully, all personnel, including Judge Engoron, received clearance to return to the edifice shortly after timeliness of the evacuation impressed all. Of note, the former President himself was not present during the brief episode of upheaval in the courthouse, which leaves no impact on the ongoing session. The critical final remarks from the defense and prosecution are due next month. In the recent court proceedings, Alina Habba, functioning as the attorney and spokesperson for Trump, has expressed strong criticism against Letitia James, the New York Attorney General. Accusations have been thrown back and forth in the $250 million lawsuit led by James against Trump, involving his adult sons, Donald Trump Jr., and Eric Trump.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you find the information in this video useful? Please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Matty Dalrymple talks with Thomas Dunne about MISTAKES WRITERS MAKE ABOUT FIREFIGHTERS, including the fact that firefighting is a small part of a firefighter's job; how the variety of firefighter roles enables story and character depth; story opportunities involving false alarms; how where there's fire, there's (almost) always smoke, and portraying the experience of moving through smoke by tapping into all the senses; life in a firehouse, including the official and unofficial hierarchies; and the variety of personalities who choose firefighting. Links, summary, and transcript at https://bit.ly/TIAP215  Thomas Dunne is a retired Deputy Chief and 33-year veteran of the New York City Fire Department with extensive experience working in Mid-Manhattan and the Bronx, including acting as incident commander at hundreds of fires and emergencies in the city. Chief Dunne lectures at conferences and colleges across the country, has written numerous magazine articles, and serves as an adjunct instructor for the National Fire Academy and Kean University. He is the author of NOTES FROM THE FIREGROUND, a memoir of his experiences with the FDNY, and the novel A MOMENT IN TIME. Matty Dalrymple is the author of the Lizzy Ballard Thrillers, beginning with ROCK PAPER SCISSORS; the Ann Kinnear Suspense Novels, beginning with THE SENSE OF DEATH; and the Ann Kinnear Suspense Shorts. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. Matty also writes, speaks, and consults on the writing craft and the publishing voyage, and shares what she's learned on THE INDY AUTHOR PODCAST. She has written books on the business of short fiction and podcasting for authors; her articles have appeared in "Writer's Digest" magazine. She is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

On this episode of Our American Stories, seen through the eyes of four generations of a firefighter family, Five Floors Up tells the story of the modern New York City Fire Department. From the days just after the horse-drawn fire truck, to the devastation of the 1970s when the Bronx was Burning, to the unspeakable tragedy of 9/11, to the culture-busting department of today, a Feehan has worn the shoulder patch of the FDNY. Here's Five Floors Up author, Brian McDonald, with the story.  Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, I sit down with Tim Lyons, a true Renaissance man with an extraordinary journey from serving as a lieutenant in the New York City Fire Department to becoming a multifaceted real estate investor and best-selling author.Tim's remarkable story is one of perseverance and a burning desire to secure a better future for his family. His initial foray into real estate was driven by the quest for passive income and financial freedom. As he embarked on his investment journey, he discovered the profound potential of real estate in generating passive income and building lasting wealth.In this engaging conversation, Tim shares how he founded Cityside Capital, a thriving real estate investment company that has partnered in over $1.4 billion worth of commercial real estate assets, including thousands of multifamily units. He highlights the importance of education, mentorship, and networking in his journey towards success.Discover Tim's unique insights into the power of real estate investing, his co-authorship in the Amazon #1 bestselling book "Bringing Value, Solving Problems and Leaving a Legacy," and his role as co-host of "The Passive Income Brothers Podcast" alongside his brother, Greg Lyons.Tune in to gain valuable knowledge and inspiration from Tim's incredible story and expertise in the world of real estate investment. Learn how he leverages his experiences as a firefighter, RN, and investor to help others achieve financial freedom through smart real estate choices. Don't miss this opportunity to hear from a true industry leader who knows that, just like in the fire department, having the right tools and knowledge can make all the difference.Show Highlights:✅01:44 - Who is Tim?✅06:48 - Broker Dealer✅13:33 - Broker Dealer License✅22:13 - Alternative Investments✅30:07 - Top 5 toppings✅34:21 - Contact Tim

In this Podcast episode, we're honored to share the story of FDNY Chief William M. Feehan's leadership, service, and devotion to his family and the FDNY, compliments of insight from his son, FDNY Battalion Chief John Feehan, his grandson Firefighter Connor Davan, and former FDNY Fire Commissioner and friend, Daniel Nigro. FDNY Chief William Feehan—better known as Bill—was a knowledge center of the New York City Fire Department. Chief Bill Feehan was well-versed on a wide range of subjects and possessed exceptional leadership qualities. He was a “firefighter's chief” who held every rank in the FDNY and served the Department for more than 41 years. His command philosophy and leadership style were shaped by his love for the United States, New York City, the FDNY and its members, his Catholic faith and his devotion to his family. Chief Feehan was a strategic minded leader who balanced the necessity to innovate with an appreciation for the FDNY's special culture, storied past and human spirit. On the morning of September 11, 2001, Bill Feehan was a FDNY Deputy Commissioner. He'd retired from uniformed service several years before but continued to serve his beloved Department and City. In true Chief Feehan fashion, he responded to the World Trade Center attacks that morning, donning his helmet and turnout coat as he provided counsel to the Department's senior leaders such as Chief of Department Pete Ganci. Chief Feehan was one of the 343 FDNY members of who made the Supreme Sacrifice on 9/11, leaving behind an enduring mark on the Department and a legacy that continues to inspire many members in the FDNY today, most notably those members of his family who continue to lead and serve. 

Introduction - Lt. Steven Kanarian is a retired New York City Fire Department lieutenant. Assigned to the EMS Division Steve served as a Paramedic for 25 years. - Steve has supervised medical operations at many mass casualty incidents in New York City. - He was a Medical Specialist with FEMA New York Task Force-1 for 16 years. - Steve responded to both the 1993 and 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Category 4 Hurricane George disaster recovery in the Dominican Republic. - He has lectured nationally about mass casualty management, September 11th terrorist attacks, and terrorism response. - Steve is the author of "The Downwind Walk: A USAR Paramedic's Experiences on September 11, 2001" which is available on Amazon and Authorhouse.com Contact Information https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenkanmph/

In This Episode, We Get Tactical About: Working for the FDNY How Much Gear are Firefighters Really Carrying? Engine Companies vs. Ladder Truck Companies Everyone Has Their Role Fire Calls and Utility Calls Electric Vehicle Calls The Physical Aspects of Firefighting What Are the Most Common Types of Emergencies? The Demands of the Fire Academy The Legend of Orio Palmer Balancing Life and Family  Staying Fit Throughout Your Career   Resources + Links: Connect with Kristofor on Instagram | @team_healey   How can Kristofor help you become an indispensable man? https://linktr.ee/krhealey   Download a free chapter of Indispensable: A Tactical Plan for the Modern Man   Get your copy of the book, here!   Join us for The Weekend: Bourbon Trail in Lexington, Kentucky September 29-October 2, 2023 | https://www.theweekendbourbontrail.com/   Shoot us a message on Instagram with your biggest takeaway @team_healey   Show Notes:   Today our guest is Lt. Mike Rogdakis, a 19 year veteran of the New York City Fire Department.    If you have ever wondered what it is like to be a firefighter in the biggest city in the United States, you'll enjoy listening to this conversation.  Mike has done it all with FDNY from firefighter to supervisor to academy instructor and in today's episode we get into the job, the importance of physical fitness and how to balance personal life with your professional obligations.    Until Friday…Out of role.  

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Thursday, July 27th, 2023. Olive Tree Biblical Software: Discover why more than a million people use the free Olive Tree Bible App as their go-to for reading, studying, and listening to the God’s Word. Start by downloading one of many free Bibles and start taking notes, highlighting verses, and bookmarking your favorite passages. You can read at your own pace, or choose from a large selection of Reading Plans, including the Bible Reading Challenge. When you are ready to go deeper into your studies, Olive Tree is right there with a large selection of study Bibles, commentaries, and other helpful study resources available for purchase. There’s also an extensive bookstore allows you to build your digital library one book at a time and Olive Tree’s sync technology lets you pick up where you left off on your tablet, pc or phone and get right to studying on another supported device. Now here's the best part – You can start with the Olive Tree Essentials Bundle for FREE. Visit www.olivetree.com/FLF and download it today!  https://apnews.com/article/ufos-uaps-congress-whistleblower-spy-aliens-ba8a8cfba353d7b9de29c3d906a69ba7 Whistleblower tells Congress the US is concealing ‘multi-decade’ program that captures UFOs The U.S. is concealing a longstanding program that retrieves and reverse engineers unidentified flying objects, a former Air Force intelligence officer testified Wednesday to Congress. The Pentagon has denied his claims. Retired Maj. David Grusch’s highly anticipated testimony before a House Oversight subcommittee was Congress’ latest foray into the world of UAPs — or “unidentified aerial phenomena,” which is the official term the U.S. government uses instead of UFOs. While the study of mysterious aircraft or objects often evokes talk of aliens and “little green men,” Democrats and Republicans in recent years have pushed for more research as a national security matter due to concerns that sightings observed by pilots may be tied to U.S. adversaries. Grusch said he was asked in 2019 by the head of a government task force on UAPs to identify all highly classified programs relating to the task force’s mission. At the time, Grusch was detailed to the National Reconnaissance Office, the agency that operates U.S. spy satellites. “I was informed in the course of my official duties of a multi-decade UAP crash retrieval and reverse engineering program to which I was denied access,” he said. Asked whether the U.S. government had information about extraterrestrial life, Grusch said the U.S. likely has been aware of “non-human” activity since the 1930s. The Pentagon has denied Grusch’s claims of a coverup. In a statement, Defense Department spokeswoman Sue Gough said investigators have not discovered “any verifiable information to substantiate claims that any programs regarding the possession or reverse-engineering of extraterrestrial materials have existed in the past or exist currently.” The statement did not address UFOs that are not suspected of being extraterrestrial objects. Grusch says he became a government whistleblower after his discovery and has faced retaliation for coming forward. He declined to be more specific about the retaliatory tactics, citing an ongoing investigation. https://hotair.com/david-strom/2023/07/26/swiss-study-heart-injuries-from-covid-vaccine-3000x-higher-than-thought-n567151 Swiss study: heart injuries from COVID vaccine 3000x higher than thought It is a small study, but a very disturbing one. In fact, in a study with only 777 participants with a median age of 37--all medical professionals getting the COVID vaccine–the incidence of elevated cardiac enzymes 3 days after injection was pretty substantial, at almost 3%. The CDC did a study and from that, they claimed the rate was 0.001%, or one out of 100,000. 2.8% is a lot higher than 0.001%. Another 0.3% had “probable myocarditis,” putting the total at over 3%. That is 3000 times higher than the US government claimed. In this small study, nobody had serious complications, but with a myocarditis complication rate of 3%, you would have to expect that giving out hundreds of millions of doses is a pretty risky proposition. I think we all knew that already, but this study seems to put the nail in the coffin of “vaccine injuries are super rare” from COVID-19 shots. One oddity was that the rate of myocarditis among the participants was heavily weighted toward women, not men. That could be an artifact of the sample, or it could indicate that women are more likely to get a complication, but the complications are more likely to be serious among men. One reason the researchers posit for the vast difference between their results–which are based upon blood tests looking for cardiac enzymes in all participants–and the commonly asserted claim that vaccine-induced myocarditis is rare is that the only cases that are diagnosed without looking specifically for it are severe. In other words, most people don’t go to the doctor until there is a serious problem, so many people suffer from myocarditis without ever getting diagnosed. This suggests that there is a very large group of people who were afflicted but never treated. This in most cases would not be a huge problem, as the inflammation resolves on its own, but in some cases, actual damage to the heart was done without it ever being caught. In any case, this study sheds quite a light on just how deceptive the CDC, the FDA, and NIAID have been about vaccine safety. And also how intentionally ignorant they have chosen to be. This was not a complicated study to do. The researchers chose a cohort easy to recruit, tested them both before and after vaccination to create a baseline and comparison, and analyzed the data. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hunter-biden-plea-deal-appears-fall-apart-first-court-appearance Hunter Biden pleads 'not guilty' as plea deal falls apart during Delaware court appearance Hunter Biden's plea deal fell apart during his first court appearance Wednesday morning and pleaded "not guilty" as federal prosecutors confirmed the president's son is still under federal investigation. The president's son was expected to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax counts of willful failure to pay federal income tax, as part of plea deal to avoid jail time on a felony gun charge. But Judge Maryellen Noreika did not accept the plea agreement, questioning the constitutionality--specifically the diversion clause and the immunity Hunter Biden would receive. Hunter Biden was also expected to enter into a pretrial diversion agreement regarding a separate felony charge of possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance. House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith filed an amicus brief to the court, requesting that testimony be considered ahead of accepting the planned plea deal, saying Hunter Biden "appears to have benefited from political interference which calls into question the propriety of the investigation of the U.S. Attorney’s Office." "In the interest of full transparency and fairness for all citizens, it is critical for the Court to have this relevant information when evaluating the Plea Agreement," Smith wrote in the brief. Meanwhile, on the eve of the court appearance, the judge threatened to sanction Hunter Biden's legal team after one of his attorneys allegedly lied about who she was while asking to remove IRS whistleblower testimony from the court docket. The defense, though, denied the allegations and called the incident "an unfortunate and unintentional miscommunication." https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/new-york-city-crane-falls-engulfed-flames New York City crane collapse: Construction equipment tumbles to ground as it is engulfed in flames A crane fell near the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan on Wednesday after a fire broke out on the construction equipment, but officials say it could have been much worse. The crane was engulfed in flames before part of it fell to the ground, hitting a nearby building in the process. The New York City Fire Department said that six people, including two firefighters, have injuries. The injuries to the two firefighters are "non-life threatening," while the four civilian injuries are "minor," according to the department. "As you see from the debris on the street, this could have been much worse. We are extremely fortunate, No. 1, that [it was] not during the busy time of the day — as you know, the Port Authority is here. Many of the buses move through here. We were extremely fortunate," New York City Mayor Eric Adams said at a press conference. The first report of the fire to FDNY came at 7:25 a.m. local time, with officials saying the fire started in the engine compartment of the crane. The top part of the crane and a 16-ton load collapsed as firefighters were arriving at the scene. One of the injuries was described as "chest pains" for one of the firefighters. At a news conference Wednesday morning, fire officials said the fire had been mostly extinguished but that operations are still ongoing. Fifty units, totaling 220 fire personnel, responded to the scene of the fire, according to FDNY. New York City Department of Buildings Commissioner Jimmy Oddo said the building where the crane fire occurred was an under-construction 54-story mixed-use building, which had all proper permits filed. Oddo said the only previous incident at the site was when construction workers hit a vault during excavation for the building. City officials also said the crane operator had attempted to put out the fire when he noticed it, but when he was unable to do so safely, he evacuated from the crane and is OK. https://thenationalpulse.com/2023/07/25/accept-deadly-blackouts-to-fight-climate-change-says-paper/ Accept Deadly Blackouts to Fight ‘Climate Change’, Says Paper The Los Angeles Times says that blackouts have to increase in order to combat climate change, while stunningly acknowledging the policy may cost people’s lives. The newspaper has asked its dwindling audience to consider “a larger conversation” in which people become more accustomed to changing their expectations, including the idea of living without electricity for large parts of their lives so as to prevent “climate catastrophe.” The piece also insists that “fossil-funded lies,” apparently spread by Republicans – such as the overall uselessness of solar farms and wind turbines – should not be considered within the discussion on how to address climate change. Instead, the conversation must be orientated towards adding “solar panels, wind turbines and all kinds of energy storage to the grid as fast as possible.” The newspaper also recognizes the risk of such a policy as it reports that someone dies every time there is a blackout, and includes a quote from the director of reliability assessment and performance analysis at the North American Electric Reliability Corp, John Moura, that “it’s not really about keeping the lights on. It’s about keeping people alive.” Accepting increased blackouts is yet another extreme measure being suggested to tackle climate change. One recent study suggested changing working hours from 9 am to 5 am to 6 am to 2 pm. Speaking of climate change… https://www.theblaze.com/news/npr-ridiculed-for-regurgitating-claim-that-the-movement-to-push-bug-food-on-the-masses-is-a-racist-conspiracy-theory NPR ridiculed for regurgitating claim that the movement to push bug food on the masses is a 'racist' conspiracy theory NPR's race-obsessed and taxpayer-subsidized show "Code Switch" recently peddled the notion that it is conspiratorial thinking to take proponents of the bug-food movement at their word. What's more, host Gene Demby's guest on the July 19 episode, entitled "This right wing conspiracy theory about eating bugs is about as racist as you think," has intimated that criticism both of bug food and of those technocrats who seek to alter consumer behavior may be racist. NPR has since been met with ridicule by those aware that the desire to supplement or replace normal food with bugs is not a conspiracy theory but rather a real initiative with substantial momentum, which has been long detailed and defended in academic journals, trusted publications, and even on NPR. NPR reporter Huo Jingnan joined "Code Switch" host Gene Demby on last week's episode to regurgitate talking points from his April NPR article, wherein he simultaneously held that the claim that "elites want people to eat bugs" was a right-wing conspiracy theory while also acknowledging the inclusion of bugs in human food was "an emerging, but still marginal, idea among climate scientists and food security experts." Jingnan hinted both in his article and on Demby's show there must also be a racial component to the growing concerns about the bug-food movement and the motivations driving it. While Demby appeared keen to write off the bug-food movement as "not that big a deal," and Jingnan intimated that it might just the MAGA crowd who are paying attention, critics have pointed that NPR's publication history suggests otherwise. Here are the titles of just a few NPR features in recent months and years: "These Pictures Might Tempt You To Eat Bugs" — July 18, 2013; "Making Food From Flies (It's Not That Icky)" — Sept. 19, 2013; "Even Neil DeGrasse Tyson Is Now Munching On Bugs" — March 23, 2015; "Street Food No More: Bug Snacks Move To Store Shelves In Thailand" — April 15, 2015; "Are Insects The Future Of Food?" — Nov. 17, 2016; "At Bug-Eating Festival, Kids Crunch Down On The Food Of The Future" — Sept. 14, 2017; "Your Ancestors Probably Ate Insects. So What's Bugging You?" — July 16, 2018; "VIDEO: 4 Ways That Wild Edibles, Including Insects, Will Wow You" — Dec. 20, 2018; and "Should Hyping Edible Bugs Focus On The Experience Instead Of The Environment?" — Jan. 10, 2019. The food of the future indeed…

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Thursday, July 27th, 2023. Olive Tree Biblical Software: Discover why more than a million people use the free Olive Tree Bible App as their go-to for reading, studying, and listening to the God’s Word. Start by downloading one of many free Bibles and start taking notes, highlighting verses, and bookmarking your favorite passages. You can read at your own pace, or choose from a large selection of Reading Plans, including the Bible Reading Challenge. When you are ready to go deeper into your studies, Olive Tree is right there with a large selection of study Bibles, commentaries, and other helpful study resources available for purchase. There’s also an extensive bookstore allows you to build your digital library one book at a time and Olive Tree’s sync technology lets you pick up where you left off on your tablet, pc or phone and get right to studying on another supported device. Now here's the best part – You can start with the Olive Tree Essentials Bundle for FREE. Visit www.olivetree.com/FLF and download it today!  https://apnews.com/article/ufos-uaps-congress-whistleblower-spy-aliens-ba8a8cfba353d7b9de29c3d906a69ba7 Whistleblower tells Congress the US is concealing ‘multi-decade’ program that captures UFOs The U.S. is concealing a longstanding program that retrieves and reverse engineers unidentified flying objects, a former Air Force intelligence officer testified Wednesday to Congress. The Pentagon has denied his claims. Retired Maj. David Grusch’s highly anticipated testimony before a House Oversight subcommittee was Congress’ latest foray into the world of UAPs — or “unidentified aerial phenomena,” which is the official term the U.S. government uses instead of UFOs. While the study of mysterious aircraft or objects often evokes talk of aliens and “little green men,” Democrats and Republicans in recent years have pushed for more research as a national security matter due to concerns that sightings observed by pilots may be tied to U.S. adversaries. Grusch said he was asked in 2019 by the head of a government task force on UAPs to identify all highly classified programs relating to the task force’s mission. At the time, Grusch was detailed to the National Reconnaissance Office, the agency that operates U.S. spy satellites. “I was informed in the course of my official duties of a multi-decade UAP crash retrieval and reverse engineering program to which I was denied access,” he said. Asked whether the U.S. government had information about extraterrestrial life, Grusch said the U.S. likely has been aware of “non-human” activity since the 1930s. The Pentagon has denied Grusch’s claims of a coverup. In a statement, Defense Department spokeswoman Sue Gough said investigators have not discovered “any verifiable information to substantiate claims that any programs regarding the possession or reverse-engineering of extraterrestrial materials have existed in the past or exist currently.” The statement did not address UFOs that are not suspected of being extraterrestrial objects. Grusch says he became a government whistleblower after his discovery and has faced retaliation for coming forward. He declined to be more specific about the retaliatory tactics, citing an ongoing investigation. https://hotair.com/david-strom/2023/07/26/swiss-study-heart-injuries-from-covid-vaccine-3000x-higher-than-thought-n567151 Swiss study: heart injuries from COVID vaccine 3000x higher than thought It is a small study, but a very disturbing one. In fact, in a study with only 777 participants with a median age of 37--all medical professionals getting the COVID vaccine–the incidence of elevated cardiac enzymes 3 days after injection was pretty substantial, at almost 3%. The CDC did a study and from that, they claimed the rate was 0.001%, or one out of 100,000. 2.8% is a lot higher than 0.001%. Another 0.3% had “probable myocarditis,” putting the total at over 3%. That is 3000 times higher than the US government claimed. In this small study, nobody had serious complications, but with a myocarditis complication rate of 3%, you would have to expect that giving out hundreds of millions of doses is a pretty risky proposition. I think we all knew that already, but this study seems to put the nail in the coffin of “vaccine injuries are super rare” from COVID-19 shots. One oddity was that the rate of myocarditis among the participants was heavily weighted toward women, not men. That could be an artifact of the sample, or it could indicate that women are more likely to get a complication, but the complications are more likely to be serious among men. One reason the researchers posit for the vast difference between their results–which are based upon blood tests looking for cardiac enzymes in all participants–and the commonly asserted claim that vaccine-induced myocarditis is rare is that the only cases that are diagnosed without looking specifically for it are severe. In other words, most people don’t go to the doctor until there is a serious problem, so many people suffer from myocarditis without ever getting diagnosed. This suggests that there is a very large group of people who were afflicted but never treated. This in most cases would not be a huge problem, as the inflammation resolves on its own, but in some cases, actual damage to the heart was done without it ever being caught. In any case, this study sheds quite a light on just how deceptive the CDC, the FDA, and NIAID have been about vaccine safety. And also how intentionally ignorant they have chosen to be. This was not a complicated study to do. The researchers chose a cohort easy to recruit, tested them both before and after vaccination to create a baseline and comparison, and analyzed the data. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hunter-biden-plea-deal-appears-fall-apart-first-court-appearance Hunter Biden pleads 'not guilty' as plea deal falls apart during Delaware court appearance Hunter Biden's plea deal fell apart during his first court appearance Wednesday morning and pleaded "not guilty" as federal prosecutors confirmed the president's son is still under federal investigation. The president's son was expected to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax counts of willful failure to pay federal income tax, as part of plea deal to avoid jail time on a felony gun charge. But Judge Maryellen Noreika did not accept the plea agreement, questioning the constitutionality--specifically the diversion clause and the immunity Hunter Biden would receive. Hunter Biden was also expected to enter into a pretrial diversion agreement regarding a separate felony charge of possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance. House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith filed an amicus brief to the court, requesting that testimony be considered ahead of accepting the planned plea deal, saying Hunter Biden "appears to have benefited from political interference which calls into question the propriety of the investigation of the U.S. Attorney’s Office." "In the interest of full transparency and fairness for all citizens, it is critical for the Court to have this relevant information when evaluating the Plea Agreement," Smith wrote in the brief. Meanwhile, on the eve of the court appearance, the judge threatened to sanction Hunter Biden's legal team after one of his attorneys allegedly lied about who she was while asking to remove IRS whistleblower testimony from the court docket. The defense, though, denied the allegations and called the incident "an unfortunate and unintentional miscommunication." https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/new-york-city-crane-falls-engulfed-flames New York City crane collapse: Construction equipment tumbles to ground as it is engulfed in flames A crane fell near the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan on Wednesday after a fire broke out on the construction equipment, but officials say it could have been much worse. The crane was engulfed in flames before part of it fell to the ground, hitting a nearby building in the process. The New York City Fire Department said that six people, including two firefighters, have injuries. The injuries to the two firefighters are "non-life threatening," while the four civilian injuries are "minor," according to the department. "As you see from the debris on the street, this could have been much worse. We are extremely fortunate, No. 1, that [it was] not during the busy time of the day — as you know, the Port Authority is here. Many of the buses move through here. We were extremely fortunate," New York City Mayor Eric Adams said at a press conference. The first report of the fire to FDNY came at 7:25 a.m. local time, with officials saying the fire started in the engine compartment of the crane. The top part of the crane and a 16-ton load collapsed as firefighters were arriving at the scene. One of the injuries was described as "chest pains" for one of the firefighters. At a news conference Wednesday morning, fire officials said the fire had been mostly extinguished but that operations are still ongoing. Fifty units, totaling 220 fire personnel, responded to the scene of the fire, according to FDNY. New York City Department of Buildings Commissioner Jimmy Oddo said the building where the crane fire occurred was an under-construction 54-story mixed-use building, which had all proper permits filed. Oddo said the only previous incident at the site was when construction workers hit a vault during excavation for the building. City officials also said the crane operator had attempted to put out the fire when he noticed it, but when he was unable to do so safely, he evacuated from the crane and is OK. https://thenationalpulse.com/2023/07/25/accept-deadly-blackouts-to-fight-climate-change-says-paper/ Accept Deadly Blackouts to Fight ‘Climate Change’, Says Paper The Los Angeles Times says that blackouts have to increase in order to combat climate change, while stunningly acknowledging the policy may cost people’s lives. The newspaper has asked its dwindling audience to consider “a larger conversation” in which people become more accustomed to changing their expectations, including the idea of living without electricity for large parts of their lives so as to prevent “climate catastrophe.” The piece also insists that “fossil-funded lies,” apparently spread by Republicans – such as the overall uselessness of solar farms and wind turbines – should not be considered within the discussion on how to address climate change. Instead, the conversation must be orientated towards adding “solar panels, wind turbines and all kinds of energy storage to the grid as fast as possible.” The newspaper also recognizes the risk of such a policy as it reports that someone dies every time there is a blackout, and includes a quote from the director of reliability assessment and performance analysis at the North American Electric Reliability Corp, John Moura, that “it’s not really about keeping the lights on. It’s about keeping people alive.” Accepting increased blackouts is yet another extreme measure being suggested to tackle climate change. One recent study suggested changing working hours from 9 am to 5 am to 6 am to 2 pm. Speaking of climate change… https://www.theblaze.com/news/npr-ridiculed-for-regurgitating-claim-that-the-movement-to-push-bug-food-on-the-masses-is-a-racist-conspiracy-theory NPR ridiculed for regurgitating claim that the movement to push bug food on the masses is a 'racist' conspiracy theory NPR's race-obsessed and taxpayer-subsidized show "Code Switch" recently peddled the notion that it is conspiratorial thinking to take proponents of the bug-food movement at their word. What's more, host Gene Demby's guest on the July 19 episode, entitled "This right wing conspiracy theory about eating bugs is about as racist as you think," has intimated that criticism both of bug food and of those technocrats who seek to alter consumer behavior may be racist. NPR has since been met with ridicule by those aware that the desire to supplement or replace normal food with bugs is not a conspiracy theory but rather a real initiative with substantial momentum, which has been long detailed and defended in academic journals, trusted publications, and even on NPR. NPR reporter Huo Jingnan joined "Code Switch" host Gene Demby on last week's episode to regurgitate talking points from his April NPR article, wherein he simultaneously held that the claim that "elites want people to eat bugs" was a right-wing conspiracy theory while also acknowledging the inclusion of bugs in human food was "an emerging, but still marginal, idea among climate scientists and food security experts." Jingnan hinted both in his article and on Demby's show there must also be a racial component to the growing concerns about the bug-food movement and the motivations driving it. While Demby appeared keen to write off the bug-food movement as "not that big a deal," and Jingnan intimated that it might just the MAGA crowd who are paying attention, critics have pointed that NPR's publication history suggests otherwise. Here are the titles of just a few NPR features in recent months and years: "These Pictures Might Tempt You To Eat Bugs" — July 18, 2013; "Making Food From Flies (It's Not That Icky)" — Sept. 19, 2013; "Even Neil DeGrasse Tyson Is Now Munching On Bugs" — March 23, 2015; "Street Food No More: Bug Snacks Move To Store Shelves In Thailand" — April 15, 2015; "Are Insects The Future Of Food?" — Nov. 17, 2016; "At Bug-Eating Festival, Kids Crunch Down On The Food Of The Future" — Sept. 14, 2017; "Your Ancestors Probably Ate Insects. So What's Bugging You?" — July 16, 2018; "VIDEO: 4 Ways That Wild Edibles, Including Insects, Will Wow You" — Dec. 20, 2018; and "Should Hyping Edible Bugs Focus On The Experience Instead Of The Environment?" — Jan. 10, 2019. The food of the future indeed…

On this episode of Our American Stories, seen through the eyes of four generations of a firefighter family, Five Floors Up the story of the modern New York City Fire Department. From the days just after the horse-drawn firetruck, to the devastation of the 1970s when the Bronx was Burning, to the unspeakable tragedy of 9/11, to the culture-busting department of today, a Feehan has worn the shoulder patch of the FDNY. Here's Five Floors Up author, Brian McDonald with the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, seen through the eyes of four generations of a firefighter family, Five Floors Up the story of the modern New York City Fire Department. From the days just after the horse-drawn fire truck, to the devastation of the 1970s when the Bronx was Burning, to the unspeakable tragedy of 9/11, to the culture-busting department of today, a Feehan has worn the shoulder patch of the FDNY. Here's Five Floors Up author, Brian McDonald with the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.