Rebuilding After 9/11: How the FDNY Was Forever Changed

In the aftermath of 9/11, the FDNY faced a terrible reality: 343 active-duty members had been killed in the attacks, including much of its leadership. The department needed to rebuild from top to bottom, while caring for grieving members and 9/11 families, deploying firefighters to the World Trade Center site for the rescue and recovery operation, and providing fire protection for the city. Former FDNY Fire Commissioners Thomas Von Essen, Salvatore Cassano, and Daniel A. Nigro are joined by Brian McDonald, author of Five Floors Up, which chronicles the life of Chief William Feehan, the only person to have held every rank in the FDNY, who was killed on 9/11. They will reflect on the history of the FDNY, the experience of the department on 9/11, and how the department rebuilt.