Tag Archives: NFFF

Firefighter Douglas Oelschlager

Douglas Oelschlager, 36 had been a volunteer firefighter for almost two decades before joining the FDNY in 2000. On rotation from Ladder Co. 7, on 9/11, he had just finished his night shift at Ladder 6 on Canal, and arrived … Continue reading

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Firefighter Scott Larsen

Scott Larsen’s fourth child was born on September 13th. He loved being a father. He would speed home from the firehouse to play with his kids, 9,8 and 5. In warm weather they would take to their bikes or rollerblades. … Continue reading

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Firefighter Scott Kopytko

Scott Kopytko, 32, was once a commodities broker at the World Trade Center. He had joined the FDNY in 1998. On 9/11 he was only a couple credits shy of getting a Masters in Finance from St. John’s University, but … Continue reading

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Firefighter Thomas Kelly

Firefighter Thomas W. Kelly, 50, “bled Dodgers blue so truly that he paid $1,420 for an original seat from Ebbets Field.” Nicknamed “Mr. Dependable” at the firehouse, he was a mentor to the probies. Thirty years earlier, in September of … Continue reading

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Firefighter Arthur Barry

Arthur Barry, 35, was a very mechanical guy, “Mr. Fix-it” at the firehouse. He was technically on vacation on 9/11, but was in Manhattan to drop off a machine he’d fixed at the firehouse. Arriving after the others had left, … Continue reading

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Firefighter Richard Allen

On November 2, 2001, the FDNY for the very first time issued six posthumous diplomas to graduated probies. Richard Allen, 31, was one. of them Allen came naturally to a job that helped people. He was a Rockaway Beach lifeguard … Continue reading

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Lt. Joseph Leavey

Lt. Joseph Leavey loved skyscrapers, so first he became an engineer in the construction business. His favorite spot was Battery Park City, built on the landfill created from excavating the foundations of the World Trade Center complex. WTC One and … Continue reading

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Firefighter Paul Tegtmeier

Paul Tegtmeier waited 20 years to become a New York City firefighter. He finally got the call just 18 months before 9/11, when he was 40. All that time he had been honing his skills as a volunteer firefighter in … Continue reading

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Firefighter Thomas Schoales

Thomas Schoales, 27, was the youngest of six and the son of a Battalion Chief. He was highly competitive and particularly good at baseball and basketball. At Engine 83 where he began his career, the first one to the back … Continue reading

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James Riches

  James Riches would have turned 30 on September 12th. He came from a family of uniform-wearers, either FDNY or NYPD. He himself spent eight years in the NYPD with Brooklyn South Narcotics before moving to the FDNY in 1999. … Continue reading

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