Tim Brown is a 20 year, highly decorated FDNY’er. On September 11th, he came close to death not once, not twice, but several times. Just one different turn or staying a moment longer in a spot would surely have left him among the 343 New York City firefighters to die that day. More than a few were his close friends, whom he saw for the last time that day. Tim says he know why he was spared: to tell their stories, to be the voice that his friends don’t have. He says, “The greatest love is giving your life for someone you didn’t know”.
On September 11th, Tim was a supervisor for Mayor Rudolph Giuliani’s Office Of Emergency Management. The department was comprised of top NYC firefighters and police officers, along with representatives from The NYC Health Department and the NYC Department of Environmental office. Just 5 years old, the department was tasked with organizing an efficient city response to emergencies. Never could anyone in the department ever predict their impeccable training would be a lifesaver, not once, but twice in a single day in a twin attack.
Just before 9 A.M., Tim Brown was going through his early morning routine at 7 World Trade Center, reading all the New York City newspapers as he ate his cheerios in the cafeteria. Suddenly, the power went out. After 5 seconds, it returned. Brown knew the emergency generator kicked in. Across the room, those sitting by the window saw something hit #1 World Trade Center, the North Tower. Tim Brown’s training kicked in. His 9/11 story is unimaginable, at one point holding on to a column, surviving the dust cloud of the collapsed South Tower that was so strong, it lifted his legs into the air.