Michael Clarke, 27, was the son of a NYPD officer but he always wanted to be a firefighter. As a toddler his dad gave him one of those little red engines to peddle around. On the force since 1998, he was pleased when transferred from Staten Island to Ladder 2 “because there was so much more action in Manhattan.” September 11th had been a scheduled day off, but he had switched shifts with another firefighter.