The FDNY — which suffered the worst loss of life of any American fire department in history on Sept. 11, 2001 — laid out a plan on Tuesday to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and United Airlines Flight 93.
During a press conference at Staten Island University Hospital Community Park, home of the Staten Island FerryHawks, outgoing FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker announced a year-long plan to commemorate the 25th anniversary of 9/11 next year, including an official ceremony in the borough on Sept. 9, 2026, and the premiere of a film about FDNY Chaplain Father Mychal Judge, the first recorded victim of the attacks.
“We will also launch a commemorative podcast series and a ceremonial patch, available for purchase to benefit the FDNY Foundation,” Tucker said. “These initiatives help ensure we make good on our promise to always remember those who made the supreme sacrifice.”
Tucker added that a health report will also be released in time for the anniversary. He added that more details about the plans will be announced as the anniversary draws near.
“We are committed to getting this right. And as we have with previous important anniversaries, we will handle this commemoration with respect, solemnity, honor and all that it deserves,” the commissioner said.
The commissioner also shared a tribute to Father Judge and the film about him that is set for release. Judge was struck by falling debris during the South Tower’s collapse just before 10 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2001. Surviving firefighters found his body and immediately brought it to St. Paul’s Chapel, where it was recovered. The city’s Medical Examiner’s office classified Judge as the first official fatality on the grim day.
“Father Judge left a legacy of kindness, service, and leadership that continues to resonate throughout our department,” he said. “The film is about how we choose to remember those we’ve lost and how we make good on our promise of never forgetting.”
While 343 FDNY members died on Sept. 11, 2001, roughly 400 more New York firefighters have died since from illnesses linked to toxins from the attacks.
The Dec. 9 announcement followed the FDNY union’s demand for answers last month following the discovery of 68 boxes of documents related to 9/11 toxins in the Department of Environmental Protection’s office in NYC.
City officials have denied the existence of such documents even after repeated requests from the Uniformed Firefighters Association and health groups. In a statement on Nov. 24, a City Hall spokesperson said the Adams administration could not comment on ongoing litigation.
“While we cannot comment on the specifics of pending litigation, the city has begun turning over documents to plaintiff’s counsel, and both parties are working out a schedule to continue this process,” the statement read.
