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in their head because that was the death toll that day in the fdny. what was less clear to civilians, this was a decapitation of the management of the greatest fire department in the world. all the white helmets, all of the battalion chiefs responded. many of them were in the lobbies of those towers doing their jobs. chief pfeiffer famously was first on the scene as a battalion chief. first guy to call in and say make this three alarms. i think it went to 14. there's nothing higher in the city of new york. talk about that day. there were almost battlefield promotions that had to happen to fortify the ranks, to fortify management. >> among the 343 firefighters that were killed that day were 89 officers from the chief of department to deputy
the time stamps from that day that have, of course for the families, victims, first responders, they have become codified. they've become etched in the memory over the years. 8:46 is the first of them. 8:46 was when we realized first off that we had a major tragedy in new york city. we had had a major emergency. that's when the first responders started to roll. famously recorded by the french documentary crew, that's when chief pfeiffer was standing not far from here in lower manhattan, saw the plane go over his head. had the presence of mind to start directing the response. 8:46 will be the first of our moments of silence it was upon
>> i just watched a very moving interview with chief pfeiffer. and the term heroes is the right term. we have so many heroes to whom we pay tribute and we pay tribute and memory for those who lost their lives on 9/11. i think the message from that interview, if i may, is that our democracy, our principles, our american way of life are enduring. and it's because of the heroes. the threat over the last 20 years has evolved. we were, of course, in the aftermath of 9/11 focused on the foreign terrorist, the individual who sought to penetrate our defenses enter the united states and do us harm. and that threat evolved and then became the most prominent threat of the home grown violent
chief pfeiffer says, okay, let's go now. we get up. the dust starts to clear because the wind is blowing in the opposite direction. after that, it was just trying to literally walk around the block and walk back to the scene and see what we could do. [ sirens ] >> this is the most surreal scene i have ever seen. i cannot describe what took place. >> it is a scene just not to be believed. the smoke still billowing. what we do have is a lockdown. you can't get in. you can't get out. you can't go up. you can't go down. >> i see that i'm still in the middle of the street, and i see there's a little deli seems to be open on the corner.
let's turn on my flashlight on top of my camera. >> come on down this way. >> yeah, let's get out the way we came in. >> come on back, buddy. >> inside the trade center, all jewel and chief pfeiffer knew or anyone knew -- is that something had gone terribly wrong. >> you got a light? >> we got to get everybody out. >> i was pointing my light where ever they need it. >> right here. i remember seeing chief pfeiffer. >> evacuate the building.
>> firefighters in full gears carrying 60 something pounds of hoses of equipment, takes about a minute to climb the stairs. these guys are looking at 80 stories just to get there then they start working. >> i thought we were going to put the fire out. everyone seemed to be confident. i know i was. >> we basically looked at it and okay, we got 10 or 20 stories of fire, we'll deal with it, we'll get up there. we'll get to it. >> there are fire crews just screaming into this area from every conceivable direction. by this time, some of the top chiefs in the department have joined chief pfeiffer, running the command post sending guys
upstairs. one of the men went up is lieutenant kevin pfeiffer who's in charge of engine 33 and was the chief's brother. >> i just remember we both looked at each other -- and said a few words, but it was more than look. a real concern that this could be something tough. >> it is going to be a tough job v . it is going to be a long job. they'll put it out. that's what they do. >> the last time jewel seen his brother was an our ago at the fire house. as far as jewel's know, gideon following tony. >> for me, my brother is going up the stairs. >> it turns out, gideon was with
know what tower one was and tower two. we were just trying to help them out by writing on the desk and making it obvious to people. it was just before 10:00. a little over an hour since the first plane hit. firefighters from all over the city were inside those towers. hundreds of them. >> i remember filming chief pfeiffer and he's on the radio . . and water... full coverage.
of what's left of the world trade center. the fire continues to burn. i can see the flames through the thick smoke. >> by this time, chief pfeiffer had found a safe exit. and tried to radio the men in the lobby. no answer. >> mayday. >> so i walked across the bridge back towards the trade center still trying to call on the radio and not getting through. >> the guys that were left there, they're not there anymore. >> they had already gone out another way. carrying the body of father michael judge down the street to st. peter's church. they laid his body on the altar. father mike's death certificate is number 00001.