9/11 Responders, Volunteers Reflect on Lasting Impact

As the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks approaches, former and current emergency responders are recalling how the disaster shaped their lives and the EMS profession. Former New York City paramedic Lorna MacIntire says she continues to experience PTSD but has begun speaking publicly after years of avoiding interviews and Manhattan. Paramedics Gary Smiley and Tito Rodriguez describe rushing to the World Trade Center, narrowly escaping collapsing towers and debris, and helping victims amid overwhelming destruction. Rodriguez says the memories remain vivid decades later, while the attacks’ long-term health consequences helped spur efforts to secure medical care for first responders. Red Cross volunteer Michael Alexander also recalls Alaska’s response, which sheltered stranded travelers and sent volunteers east to assist families and identify victims. Together, the accounts portray 9/11 as a defining event whose trauma and lessons continue to influence responders, their health and the broader emergency medical services field.