Firefighter Kevin Smith

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Kevin Smith, 47, was a former Marine who brought military discipline to everything he did. A member of Haz-Mat from its beginning in 1984, Smith was present at many major disasters. On this day, he was perhaps the very first to report the attack to HQ. He was standing on the apron smoking a cigarette with a clear view of lower Manhattan when he saw the plane fly into WTC1.

When a disaster occurred, he always called his wife so she wouldn’t hear about it first on the news. That morning he called her at 8:50 on the ride in. He sounded excited. “He almost sounded like Superman snapping at his cape,” she said.

He was the father of eight grown kids. He would often take the holiday shifts so that others with younger children could have time with their families. Of his five sons, four followed him into the military or the fire department. One was an EMT who was injured on 9/11. The entire Smith family volunteered on weekends with the East Farmingdale Fire Department, the Mastic Fire Department, and the Mastic Ambulance Company. It was a family affair.

He was last seen in the lobby of Tower One. His remains have never been found.

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