WTC: In Their Own Words

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A new book about the September 11th terrorist attacks, WTC: In Their Own Words, is trying to give the perspective of the many firefighters who first responded to the catastrophic event that took place at the World Trade Center. WTC: In Their Own Words features many never before seen interviews and photos.

On 9/11 ten years ago, retired New York City Firefighter Tim Brown ran for his life when he saw the dust cloud from the South Tower billowing towards him. "We could hear the floors progressive collapse. And we knew it was coming down," stated Brown. Brown was only 25 feet from the South Tower, the first to collapse. Once escaping the building, he ran into the nearby Tall Ships Restaurant to get away from the clouds of dust.

"We got into the lobby and all of a sudden, just like that, it went black. The wind picked up tremendously, the noise was unbelievable and the dust was just blowing in our face. You couldn't breathe. You couldn't see," explained Brown. "I'd found a column and wrapped my arms around. I just held on and got as close to it as I could. My legs lifted up in the air and the wind was trying to blow me out into the street. I knew if I went out there, I would certainly be dead."

The large debris from the dust cloud eventually settled and Brown was able to escape. Earlier that morning, Brown was working in the Mayors Office of Emergency Management inside of the World Trade Center when the first plane struck. He made his way outside to face an unimaginable sight.

"There were people jumping out of the building. There were bodies crashing in the street. There were plane parts crashing down. It was a bit of Armageddon right here in Lower Manhattan," said Brown. Once the second plane struck, he knew the city was under attack and went into the lobby of the South Tower to see if he could help. This is where he spotted his best friend, Terry Hatton, also a firefighter.

Brown claimed, "He yelled at me 'T! Come here!' So I went over to him, he wrapped his big arms around me. He put his face right on my cheek and he said "I love you brother, I may never see you again." Tim Brown never saw his friend Terry Hatton again. 

Brown realized the catastrophic consequences for his friends and thousands of others as he was trying to save his own life inside of the restaurant when the tower collapsed. "I'm surprised I am alive. And very happy I'm alive. But I also know that all of my friends are dead. All of the guys that I had just talked to 3 minutes ago, are now dead," expressed Brown.

Tim Brown is one of almost 100 firefighters who have told their stories to the author of the newly released book, WTC: In Their Own Words, Harvey Eisner. Eisner retired as chief of the volunteer fire department in Tenafly, New Jersey and now works as Editor in Chief of Firehouse Magazine. He interviewed New York City firefighters of all ranks stationed in different areas, whose stories are told in his book.

"No one person could know what happened around the 16 acre site," said Eisner. Some of the pictures and stories have never been seen or told before. Gathering the stories of these first responders was an emotional experience for Eisner. "It did affect me and I'm not afraid to say that in typing up some of these interviews, i was crying."

Now ten years later, Tim Brown is open to telling his story in memory of his fellow firefighters who died on 9-11. "There are people who would like to change the narrative of what happened that day and the truth is the truth. Radical Islamic terrorists attacked America and murdered my friends."

Both Eisner and Brown say they hope decades from now, the book will serve as a historical reference of what happened to the 1,000 firefighters who first responded to the towers on that terrible day in 2001.



Author:Wendy Gillette - Video, Renee Marquart - Text