We all have our memories of that fateful and historic Tuesday, ten years ago, when the World Trade Center and its inhabitants became a terrorist target. For Essex County emergency medical personnel who were dispatched as part of a state-wide mutual aid service to the New York Fire Department, however, that day meant heading towards the place that everyone else was fleeing. At a time when people were trying to escape Ground Zero and re-unite with family, these folks — many of whom were volunteers — put the care of others before their own needs. That may seem remarkable, and it is, but it’s also just what EMS workers do.

Yesterday, as part of “Essex County Remembers” — a series of official events marking the 10th anniversary of the tragedy — a bronze plaque recognizing the local EMS units who responded that day was unveiled at the Eagle Rock September 11 Memorial.

Among the dignitaries and political figures who spoke with passion and appreciation, was John Grembowiec, Sr. (shown above on left, with Bob Hayes, of the Glen Ridge Volunteer Ambulance Squad), Director of EMS Operations for The University Hospital and the New Jersey EMS Task Force Leader. Together with his colleagues at UMDNJ, Grembowiec oversaw the operation that involved more than 300 ambulance crews from virtually every squad in the state. “Our EMTs were called into action that day as never before, or since,” he told Baristanet.

According to Grembowiec, a decision was made to keep the ambulances in NJ, and the Hudson waterfront quickly became an incident command arena. EMS units from Essex County were the first to arrive at the staging areas set up outside the Holland Tunnel and then at Liberty State Park and in Hoboken. By the end of the day, more than 8,000 people had been triaged and put through a gross decontamination process at the Hoboken train station and more than 150 were transported to area hospitals. The crew chief of one of the responding units was then-captain of the Glen Ridge Volunteer Ambulance Squad (GRVAS) Bob Hayes, along with lifetime squad member/EMTs Ken Carberry and Don Cannon.

Having been on duty myself that day, routinely scheduled to ride as the shift EMT with Captain Hayes, we heard the news together, directly from the Glen Ridge Police. Needless to say, like everywhere else, the mood was surreal.

As squad members began to show up at headquarters, it became a central location for members and the community to gather, support each other and strategize how to help. When the call came from dispatch, there was no shortage of crew members who wanted to go, but Hayes carefully selected experienced personnel who weren’t busy comforting children or fretting for loved ones who worked in the city, as was the case with me. Once a full EMS crew was secured to cover the town’s emergencies, Hayes, Cannon and Carberry took the primary ambulance and responded as directed. They took with them a donation of food from Just Sandwiches around the corner. Throughout the day, other EMTs stood by, in case they were needed to relieve the duty crew.

“We didn’t know what we were headed into,” recalled Hayes. “As the captain, I knew I had to go, since I operated under the rule of not asking someone else to do something I wouldn’t do myself.” Hayes said that they thought they were going to be sent to Ground Zero and didn’t know when they’d be back or what they’d end up dealing with.

As it turned out, the GRVAS crew was stationed at the north end of the Liberty Park, in a staging area under the command of John Grembowiec. They were there for about 12 hours, waiting in a constant state of expectation for boats full of injured patients, who never actually arrived. After 10 hours or so, it became apparent that there were no more survivors of the attack, and that the incident was over. But throughout the day, as they watched the military aircraft soar overhead, the entire EMS team was on standby, wondering what was still to come. Essex County EMS crews continued to assist the FDNY for another 12 days, assembling three times a day at the Rutgers Newark campus.

As a result of our county’s pivotal role and proximity to the city, Essex County has since been made a part of the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) by Homeland Security, which funds anti-terrorist efforts in high-threat, high-density urban areas.”

Hayes and Grembowiec chatted about the experience yesterday at Eagle Rock, having not seen each other since that day 10 years ago. They both described the event as “unreal.”

Speaking during the ceremony, prior to the unveiling of the plaque, NJ State Senator and Essex County Deputy Chief of Staff Teresa Ruiz thanked attending EMS workers for what they did on that day and continue to do every day. “In times of tragedy and crisis, EMS are the bridge to families and provide peace of mind,” she said. Also speaking was LeRoy F. Smith, Jr. (at right with County Executive Joe DiVincenzo), Associate Director of Emergency Medical Services at UMDNJ for 38 years until he retired in 2007. “EMTs are truly angels from heaven,” he said.

Below is a poem, composed by GRVAS EMT Ken Carberry (a retired Essex County State Trooper) on 9/11, while he stood by in Liberty State Park, along with 90 other EMS personnel. Together with Hayes and Cannon, he sat on a sea wall looking directly across at the burning pit of Ground Zero. From there, they watched 7 World Trade crumble and fall.

Observations of an EMT

Two ducks just landed in the bay,
looking for food or to laze;
Three gulls are fighting over some prey,
near the shore of the fiery graves.

The gulls will soar, the ducks will paddle,
‘neath the canopy of darkened trees;
Butterflies – all sorts, will glide away,
past the City entombed by debris.

Cottony clouds just float across,
the blackened, azure blue sky;
Picking up soot before going to sea,
while the City begins its long cry.

A few sparrows hop looking for crumbs,
by the sycamores near the bog;
The sun is still shining, as the bay blinks,
as the City wakes up from its fog.

These creatures of God haven’t caused any ruin,
as they live out their meaningful days;
How could anyone be claiming God’s deeds,
and cause the Great City be razed.

Frank Gerard Godlewsky's plaque honoring the firefighters of Essex Fells will be unveiled on Sunday.

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