White Plains Firefighters participating in volunteer rescue duty at the World Trade Center catastrophe and in relief of city fire crews in the Bronx returned to duty Saturday night in White Plains.
Duncan MacRae, of the White Plains Professional Firefighters Association checked in with WPCNR Saturday night reporting that Engines 1 and 4 of White Plains Gedney and Old Mamaroneck Road (Station 1) returned to duty in White Plains after 3 days in the Bronx. “We sent two engine companies (to The Bronx) to relieve their guys. It went on for three days. About 20 to 35 guys went down to aid in rescue work at the site, volunteering on their own, removing the rubble and debris to help rescue people. The guys were pulled towards it to help our brother and sister fire fighters.”
MacRae described the mood of the White Plains volunteers who participated in the rescue:
“There’s a lot of frustration among the men. I don’t know how to put this. They were basically pulling out dead people. We didn’t get out as many living people as they had hoped because of the pancake collapse nature of it. Our guys are dealing with it pretty well. They are very supportive to each other when they get back.”
MacRae said the men performing the harrowing rescue work were overwhelmed: “It’s too much to bear. It’s difficult for them to come back to work. But, they are still back.”
MacRae reports that Tom Van Essen, Commissioner of the New York City Fire Department “has assured us that the New York City Fire Department now has the rescue operation in hand and feels he can better coordinate the city “tours” (of duty) with his chain of command, so we’ve suspended our official operations down there.”
MacRae said the initial hits were “too massive for them to handle. It’s pretty much out now, but as rubble removal continues, it allows more oxygen to the fire, causing flare-ups.”
The crews and Engines 1 and 4 from the Gedney Station were assigned to the Bronx this week and are back on duty in White Plains as of Saturday night, according to MacRae. Cliff Gapco, Jim Escarvage and Roberto Ripari manned Engine 1, and Kevin Heffernan, Steve Glover, and Keith Simone, on Engine 4.
MacRae said “They were ready to serve any need whatsoever. On behalf of the men. We’re ready to go back, if needed.”
MacRae also reported that those White Plains Firefighters volunteering on their own at the crash site, were told they would not be covered by Workmen’s Compensation or their city insurances, if they were injured.
At this point our telephone interview was ended by the intermittent blasts of the firehorn.
MacRae, apologetically said “Looks like I’m going to have to be going out soon.”