Ny B30 Pa Police Reports 2 Of 2 Fdr- Rienzie- Sgt John D 359

THE PORT AUTHORITY

TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT:

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Memorandum

Lt. Edward Gutch John D. Rienzie 11/30/01 TERRORIST ATTACK -SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

REFERENCE: All Members of the Force #64-01

At the direction of Inspector Anthony P. Infante, reporting officer responded with assigned Plainclothes Team PO Raymond Maniscalco, PO Clive Madden, joined by Lt. Daniel Carbonaro at Building 269 JFKIA, to the World Trade Center in response to a report of an aircraft striking the Tower. While in route to the World Trade Center in police vehicle 5295, we learned from radio information of a second strike and the possibility of a terrorist attack in progress. We proceeded via the quickest route through the Battery Tunnel. Arriving on West Street soon after the second aircraft struck, we entered a debris field of building, aircraft parts and human remains. With the towers burning above us we negotiated our way north on West Street in search of a command post, which was reportedly relocating. We met with JFK Rescue vehicle #4937 on West Street on the west side of Tower # I just north of the North Pedestrian Bridge, where Sgt. William Delgado with PO James Keuchler, PO Joseph Carrigan from the Kennedy police command and PO Steven Russell, PO Lawrance Guarnieri and PO Gary Gersitz from LaGuardia police command had also just arrived. With Lt. Carbonaro commanding, Sgt. Delgado and I were exchanging information and formulating a rescue plan when the south tower began to collapse. All personnel scattered seeking escape or shelter from the black cloud of dust and debris instantly upon us. I dove under Emergency Truck 8, the nearest cover, only to be blown out into the open, I then crawled against the wheel where I was covered in debris and suffocating powder. After the blast subsided I forced my way through the choking cloud and debris to a survivable atmosphere where I located P.O. Madden who had taken similar action and suffered similar injury. We made our way to "Pick-a-Bagel" at 102 North End Ave. where we were admitted and provided with water and towels to first aid each other as best we could. As more victims arrived we brought them in and continued to assist them with first aid utilizing whatever we had at hand. Most of the victims were also Police Fire or EMS personnel and the Bagel shop became a crowded first aid station.

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THE PORT AUTHORITY < n-

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Memorandum

Since none of the Police personnel that were with us arrived at our location, it was feared they were unable due to injury, so we then returned to our original location to search for them. As we proceeded through the rubble searching we directed evacuees toward the bagel shop where they could find aid, and we continued to search until the north tower above us began to fall. We once again fled to the nearest cover and waited out the second tower now collapsing around us. Again suffering only minor injury, we made our way back to the Bagel shop for first aid, which was now overflowing with injured rescue personnel. We again returned to search not only for injured but also for emergency medical equipment for paramedics to use on the more seriously injured. We continued in our efforts until the combination of dust, fire, smoke, explosions and reports of gas leaks, bombs and buildings about to collapse forced us to discontinue our search for victims. We gathered with other rescue personnel and began to relocate the injured to an area of safety north on West Street, where additional responding EMS personnel aided us. P.O. Madden and I continued north on West Street where we located a Port Authority Police Command position and reported in. We were in the process of receiving first aid when we were again forced to evacuate the triage area due to the report of a secondary bomb at that location. We continued north on West Street until relocating to the gymnasium of Manhattan Community College where we joined with other police units in building a permanent Port Authority Police command post and staging area. From that location we made several attempts to reenter ground zero to search for those believed to be missing. A final effort and the recovery of Port Authority equipment ended day one with the return to JFKIA for evaluation and treatment at JFK Medical bid. 198, after which we secured to return hours later for day two. Respectfully,

John D. Rienzie Police Sergeant #107 John F. Kennedy Police Command Eastern Zone

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