Galesburg Fire Department Retiree Reflects on September 11th Twin Towers Tragedy

9 11It’s been 14 years since the Twin Towers were struck by airplanes in New York on September 11th.

Galesburg Fire Department Fire Inspector Retiree Mike Whitson reflects on his time in New York helping to recover bodies after the tragic event.

Whitson tells WGIL that the number of fire houses between the Quad Cities, Peoria and Galesburg don’t even total the number of New York Fire Houses that lost at least one person.

“Of all the firehouses in New York, 75 fire houses had at least one casualty, one death,” says Whitson. “Many of them lost many more. When you talk about 343 firefighters lost in one event, and in a moment of one day, 75 fire houses–I try to put that in perspective–how many fire houses from the Quad Cities, Peoria, down to here. We can’t even total 75 fire houses.”

Whitson says three Galesburg Fire Department Firefighters went out to New York with him to help recover bodies after the twin towers attack.

Whitson recalls the firefighters forming a line, removing helmets, and “taking a knee” when a fellow firefighter’s body was recovered and removed from the scene.

ReCENT POSTS

Loading...