An exhibit of documents and photographs by Captain Robert H. Pouch, Director, Board of Commissioners of Pilots of the State of New York

1. The Stephen B. Luce Library
Presents
September 11th:
Response and Rescue in New York
Harbor
An Exhibit of Documents and Photographs
by Captain Robert H. Pouch, Director,
Board of Commissioners of Pilots of the
State of New York

2. Dedicated to fallen firefighter Patrick J. O’Keefe of
the elite Rescue Co. No. 1
September
11th, 2001:
Response and
Rescue in
New York
Harbor
• Joined the FDNY in 1981 and graduated
top in his class at Fire Academy.
• In 1991, he was involved in a daring
rescue to save a panicking civilian from
jumping off the 12th floor of the Times
Square Building.
• In 1997, he saved two young girls from
burning on the 28th floor of an apartment
building.
• Ingenious effort to fight the Chelsea Piers
fire from under the water
• Sadly, FF O’Keefe died on September 11th
2001 while operating at Manhattan 5th
Alarm Box 8087 at the “North Tower” 2
World Trade Center. He was 44 years
young. In addition to has wife and son,
O’Keefe is survived by his daughter,
Jennifer, who was the former Coordinator
of User Services at the Stephen B. Luce
Library.

3. Captain Robert H. Pouch, Director,
Board of Commissioners of Pilots of the State of New
York
•Born and raised on Staten Island
•Graduate of the Maine Maritime
Academy
•A Director of the National Cargo
Bureau, Inc., serving on its
Operations, Executive and Pension
Committees; First Vice President of
the Marine Society of the City of
New York; Trustee of The Sailors
Snug Harbor Trust; member of the
USCG Harbor Safety and Operations
Committee of the Port of New York
and USCG Area Maritime Security
Executive Committee for USCG
Sector Long Island Sound
September
11th, 2001:
Response and
Rescue in
New York
Harbor

4. Statement and Eyewitness Account of Attacks
11 September 2001:
“I took the 0700 Metro
North train to Grand Central
Station from home, arriving
at 17 Battery Place in
downtown New York
around 0800, to prepare for
our weekly Board meeting.
At 0845, I spoke with Jim
Mercante about some
details of the meeting
agenda, and he informed
me that reports were being
received on CNN that a
plane had just struck One
World Trade Center, and he
might not be able to make
the meeting if transit was
suspended.”
September
11th, 2001:
Response and
Rescue in
New York
Harbor

5. “At about 1005…
…our group got together, and we
slowly made our way toward the
back door… A huge, god-awful,
earth-shaking rumbling vibration
was felt and heard, and it lasted
for many seconds. It felt like an
earthquake.”
“Immediately after the earth and
building stopped shaking, a
dense black cloud of smoke and
debris descended over the
building, and rushed past the
glass doors. Day was now night.
At that second, we surmised that
one of the WTC towers had
collapsed.”
“The only route of escape was
Battery Park. There were some
tugs at the sea wall in the
park…”
September
11th, 2001:
Response and
Rescue in
New York
Harbor

6. “The SHPA dispatch center was receiving a number of reports. The
Port of New York, Hudson River, and Long Island Sound were closed
to navigation by the USCG, except for rescue vessels. I remained at
the dispatch center at Edgewater with SHPA EXCOM members and
pilots. The P/B NEW YORK was dispatched to the Marina at the
World Financial Center opposite the WTC as on-scene coordinator
of maritime rescue, communications and logistical efforts, at the
request of the Coast Guard.”
September
11th, 2001:
Response and
Rescue in
New York
Harbor

7. September
11th, 2001:
Response and
Rescue in
New York
Harbor

8. 12 September 2001
“I returned to the SHPA Edgewater Base at 0800. At this time, the
Sandy Hook pilot system was also dealing with… personnel issues,
ship assignments, and relief of crew and pilots had to be scheduled,
but no one knew when ship traffic was going to be allowed to
resume by the USCG. Meantime, ships were beginning to bunch up
at the Ambrose pilot station.”
“Away from the Edgewater base, the team of pilots, apprentices, and
crew on the P/B NEW YORK had been working constantly at the WTC
site in support of the rescue effort.”
September
11th, 2001:
Response and
Rescue in
New York
Harbor

9. Calling All Hands
“All of the personnel
had been working at
the scene for a long
time, with little rest.
There was constant
activity every
moment… Other SHPA
personnel were helping
to unload supplies and
transport them into the
WTC triage site
adjacent to where the
search and rescue
operations were being
conducted at the WTC.”
September
11th, 2001:
Response and
Rescue in
New York
Harbor

10. “America’s Greatest Tragedy”
“The still burning building, the huge
tangles of twisted steel, and the sheer
size of the mound of destroyed
buildings and contents together with
hundreds of rescue vehicles caught in
the collapse present an image, which is
beyond imagination and defies belief.
In addition to its on scene coordination
responsibilities, the P/B NEW YORK
also supplied food, fuel and fresh
water to other people, vessels and fire
vehicles. These rescue efforts,
characterized by cool minds, practical
and ingenious thinking by the whole
team of pilots and all of the relief
personnel I observed throughout the
harbor was admirable.”
September
11th, 2001:
Response and
Rescue in
New York
Harbor

11. Thank you, Captain Pouch!
• For his outstanding efforts as
a first responder, Captain
Pouch has received numerous
accolades: the USDOT/USCG
World Trade Center 9/11/01
First Responders Medal
(2004), New York State
Conspicuous Service Medal
(2007), United States Coast
Guard Meritorious Service
Medal (2008), New York State
Board of Commissioners of
Pilots Official’s Medal (2009),
and the New York State
Military Forces Conspicuous
Service Medal for Meritorious
Service awarded in 2010
(Second Award)
September
11th, 2001:
Response and
Rescue in
New York
Harbor