September 11, 2001: First Responders

Twenty years after 9/11, the first responders who rushed in to save lives at the World Trade Center suffer higher rates of cancer than the general public. And many have died of cancers linked to the exposure to toxins in the air. But research suggests they're surviving at higher rates too.

In the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks, tens of thousands of men and women from across the nation and around the world responded.

Twenty-three members of the service died in the line of duty as they responded to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Those officers served in the following commands: Emergency Service Unit Squads 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, and 10; the 6, 13, and 40 Precincts; Bomb Squad; Transit Bureau District 4; Traffic Control Division; and Video Production Unit.

This section chronicles the Ten House members as they dealt with 9-11, the loss of six "brothers" and the long road to rebuilding a severely damaged firehouse; and the return "home" on November 5, 2003.

On Sept. 11, 2001, the Fire Department of New York City (FDNY) was transformed in a matter of minutes. It took three months to extinguish the flames at the World Trade Center, and all the while, the FDNY was preparing for the possibility of other attacks, tending to New York City’s ongoing daily needs, and mourning the loss of 343 colleagues, including many officers and several members of top leadership. In the months and years to come, the organization took a hard look at itself and converted an unspeakable tragedy into an occasion for learning and changing, ultimately transforming from an effective yet dated firefighting force to a modern emergency management and response organization. This piece offer lessons on leading through hard times, drawn from a five-year research project on the FDNY’s transformation.

FDNY Engine 54/Ladder 4/Battalion 9 lost every firefighter they sent to the World Trade Center on September 11. Firefighter John Fila was scheduled to work that day, but switched with a colleague.

The terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001, caused more law enforcement line of duty of deaths than any other single incident in American history.

From 2011, Scott Pelley interviews Ground Zero responders who talk about their haunting experiences on the tenth anniversary of the attacks.

"It's always a sad place to be for me," FDNY Commissioner Dan Nigro told Scott Pelley. "And I think this year will be particularly difficult." This Sunday, 60 Minutes remembers 9/11 through the stories of firefighters at the World Trade Center that day.

Premiering just three days before the 13th anniversary of 9/11, this one-hour documentary takes viewers inside the New York City Fire Department to illuminate the lives of the often “strong and silent” heroes who put themselves at risk to protect residents and serve the city.

On September 11th 2001, the Twin Towers in New York City were attacked. Bill was a firefighter at the scene, and he recalls the day that changed his life forever.