Lt. Paul Martini studied for six hours every day he wasn’t on duty. He planned to ace the upcoming Captain’s test. His wife never doubted that he would. He was following in the footsteps of his father who served 33 years with the FDNY. “Don’t sweat the small things” was a favorite expression, and rule for living. “If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it” was another. On 9/11 neither adage was in play.
Engine 201 is based in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. They responded as soon as Tower 1 was hit and were the last ones through the Battery Park Tunnel before it was closed. With 13 years on the job, Lt. Paul Martini was the senior man lost from Engine 201. He left behind a six-year-old little girl.