Report from Ground Zero: The Story of the Rescue Efforts at the World Trade Center

by Dennis Smith, Eric Conger (Read by), Jeff David (Read by)

What would make someone rush into a towering inferno and dash up stairs toward danger against a flow of human beings running in the opposite direction? Only someone who's been there can tell us. In this first book-length account of the rescue efforts at the World Trade Center, retired New York City firefighter Dennis Smith gives a remarkable eyewitness account of perhaps the most heroic and desperate collaborative disaster effort in recent history. Smith arrived on the scene shortly after the attacks on September 11 and stayed for weeks. He stretched hoses, picked up bodies, and talked with police, firefighters, and emergency workers who had rushed downtown to confront a spectacle no rescue worker had ever faced before.

In Report from Ground Zero, Smith gives us the stories of some of the 343 firefighters who were reported missing or dead, including; Captain Pat Brown from Ladder Company 3, who was a personal friend; a father and son; the department's beloved chaplain; commanders; rookies; and entire companies that were lost. Smith pays tribute to the dozens of police and emergency workers who dies, as well as those who undertook an urgent search and rescue mission and, finally, the grim and daunting task of massive clean up.

Smith's rare blend of superb writing skills and up-close firefighting experience drop us into the psyche of a firefighter, which sheds light on what would make someone rush into a flaming building: it's called heroism.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Terrorism, American History, Memoir, New York, Audiobook

1 pages, Audio CD

First published March 18, 2002

About the author

During his 18 years as a New York City firefighter, Dennis Smith developed a profound respect for the professionalism of the firefighters, police officers, EMTs, and nurses with whom he worked in the more than 40 alarms his engine company responded to every day. He witnessed their willingness to give of themselves in the course of their duty. His experiences in the fire service have been immortalized in his books, most notably "Report from Engine Co. 82," which became an immediate New York Times bestseller, sold 3 million copies, and was translated into 13 languages.

In 2001, Dennis responded to the attack on the World Trade Center, arriving there just as the second building fell. He stayed for 57 consecutive days, first in rescue work and then in recovery. The following year, he wrote “Report from Ground Zero,” which also rose to the top of the bestseller lists.

Dennis has spent half of his life in the emergency service and the other half writing books. His experience and reputation make him powerfully and uniquely able to represent the interests and needs of emergency professionals and departments. His career as firefighter, best-selling author, magazine publisher, business leader, and director of important youth service and emergency-service not-for-profit organizations provides him with a sound point of view about what is needed to make the world better and more connected.

Dennis Smith most recently founded an international social media website: www.wavepeg.com.

Reviews

[Samantha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book...really I tried; however, I just couldn't find it in me to enjoy a 400 page pat on the back. The self-centered author, who makes frequent references to his popularity among firefighters due to his other book "Report from Engine Company 82," his powerful friends (he refers to Mayor Guiliani in the book as 'Rudy') and his significant skills (he writes someone told him on the piles, 'You're the natural. If anyone can do it, you can.") makes me want to scream. September 11th was one of the most significant events in my lifetime. I got this book to read about reactions from firefighters: accounts of the event and the aftermath. There was certainly some of that included, but for the most part, I was terribly disappointed in the author's egocentric take. It just wasn't what I thought it was going to be. It was a disappointment.

[Terry Cornell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember reading Smith's 'Report from Engine Company 82' back in Junior High School. It became an inspiration for many to pursue a firefighting career. My wife and I bought this book not long after it came out, but I kept delaying reading it. I didn't want to relive what I'd seen on television and read about. This is a must read though, and even amid the tragedies there are miracles and so many stories of dedication. The first part of the book are stories of first responders and their families that survived the attack, or had family members that were first responders that perished. The second part is Smith's memoirs of his actions and memories each day afterward through November. His actions included volunteering as part of the 'bucket brigade' moving debris and recovering bodies at the scene, and visiting numerous firehouses that lost firefighters in the attack. He also attended many funeral services and memorials. As a former firefighter Smith had worked with many of the NYFD leadership, and had very deep ties within the Department. What I didn't remember was the controversy that occurred when the New York City mayor's office forced firefighters to lessen their presence at the site, and turned over the debris removal totally to construction companies. This was when hundreds of firefighters had not been recovered by November. Several photos are included as well as a schematic of the building layout in the ground zero area. Sadly Smith passed away at 81 in January of 2022 from complications of Covid. A very emotional book.

[Brad H · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW !!!!

As a avid reader and lover of books I am at a loss for words.

This book, is one of the finest and truest examples of what happened and those effected. Not some political figer pointing. Not why it happened...but what really happened.
I cried, I cheered, and have read this book 3x.

If I ever win the Lotto....I would exhaust my $$$ to bring this to screen.
America might not be ready or willing to see it on screen.
But, by God I would make them. This would make one of the most epic movies, if there is any producer out there to still contain "balls" to do it.

I have read close to 500 novels in my time.
This one is in my TOP 5

When people ask me to give them a book to read or an Idea of something to read...this leads the pack.

It chilling. Heart swept. Sad. Proud. One of those page turners that you can't put down.

I was swept away.

Brad H.

[chucklesthescot · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is going to be a short review because I read this such a long time ago and don't remember a massive amount about it. I read a lot of books about 9/II because I am interested in hearing from survivors about their stories and how they saw the events unfold. The first part of the book did deliver on that and was interesting.

This was a decent enough read but I didn't find it as gripping as some of the other books I've looked at. I did feel as if there was a lot of detail in it that wasn't needed ie the name dropping and every compliment he received. I also felt that for a book about 9/II there was a lot of stuff from after the event that wasn't as interesting as the start of the book.

2.5/3

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book shortly after it was published and I make it a point to read it once a year. I don't want to forget how I felt, how my fellow NYers felt, and how America felt on 9/11.

This book was put together perfectly. Each firsthand account brought forth a new wave of emotions. I read the book through tears and at times I needed to take a break. It can be overwhelming. It is difficult to read first hand accounts of very real devastation and sorrow.

[Megan Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for Americans! Especially for the next generation who weren’t even a concept when 9/11 occurred. It does go into gory details at times so please be aware of the content if you’ve got a minor reading this. As someone who was a child at the time, it’s interesting to get more info from people who were there and fully formed adults at the time.

[Jordan Larsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

From Award-Winning firefighter poet Dennis Smith comes the next chapter in non-fiction firefighter memoirs, “Report from Ground Zero.” In a gripping and deeply personal account from various individuals impacted by the 21st Century’s Day of Infamy, renowned firefighter author Dennis Smith, best known for his work in “Report from Engine 82” takes the reader into the lives of surviving firefighters, police officers, office employees and the families whose loved ones went to work in the World Trade Center and never returned from the largest terrorist attack on American soil.

Through intimate interviews with Port Authority Police Officers, NYPD Emergency Service Unit members and the lucky few of New York’s Bravest who survived the Darkest Day in the history of the FDNY; Dennis Smith assumes the role of interviewer and observer for those who responded to the towers on the morning and afternoon of September 11th 2001. They recount their experiences during the attack and in the three months that followed working the pile at Ground Zero. Here, we see the determined firefighter spirit within Dennis Smith rise out of the shock and rage spawned by the overwhelming gravity of the September 11th 2001 terror attacks as he scrambles to get into Lower Manhattan and support his courageous FDNY Brethren. With virtually every fire company in the Big Apple deployed to the World Trade Center, it’s all hands on deck and a desperate race against time to evacuate as many people as humanly possible from the burning 110 story twin towers.

Dennis Smith also gives the audience a unique perspective on the overall operation and origin of the World Trade Center and underscores the significance of this monumental technological achievement. It’s no wonder that the same determined breed of radical Islamic Extremists who attacked the WTC prior on February 26th 1993 wanted desperately to return to America’s shores and finish the job. In the days and months following the World Trade Center disaster, Dennis Smith volunteers at the site assisting bucket brigades removing debris and even manning a fire hose to cool the still smoldering mammoth debris pile as firefighters and other first responders sift through the pile recovering body parts and other physical remains of their brothers-in-arms. Twenty-three New York City Police Officers and 343 New York City Firefighters lost their lives in a one hour period as the towers fell; making the attacks of September 11th 2001 the greatest loss of firefighters and police officers’ lives in modern history.

Former FDNY Firefighter/Author Dennis Smith scores another outstanding literary achievement with “Report from Ground Zero.” Chronicling the tales of some of the most courageous and dependable public servants in the world. In a city that tends to revolve around political bickering and trivial differences with each other, the attacks of September 11th 2001 pulled the Big Apple and the world together in unexpected and deeply profound ways; proving to the world and the sinister forces of evil, that America’s patriotic soul and humanity could never be defeated.

I was lucky to find this book on Audible and after listening to it, felt as if I just watched a great theatre performance by some very passionate and gifted actors. If you’re a fan of Dennis Smith’s earlier work in “Report from Engine 82” than “Report from Ground Zero” is a must-have for any fan of New York’s Bravest or historian. Well worth the time to read or listen!

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to this on an audiobook.
I’ve become more interested in the events on and after 9/11. When I started listening, I had some expectation that this would deal more with the events after the tower collapses than I’d seen before. And to be far it did include some of the recovery and rescue efforts. The book dealt also with how the fire fighters ended up at the WTC buildings.
There were some facts here and there that added to my base of knowledge, pre collapse. There was going to be a concert in the courtyard for one. Also, the sound a body makes when it hits the sidewalk. Horrific.
I didn’t care for the audio to be honest. Not sure what the tone should have been, but it seemed overdone at times for me. Also, I wanted more from the 2nd half of the book. Just something more.
The last narrative that recreated the extraction of some of the fire fighters bodies was gripping. I was moved by the care and honor shown to the fallen.

[Linda Lipko]

A retired fireman, the author felt he had to help when he received work of the 9/11 incident. This is a story told by a seasoned person who had saved many people from burning buildings. This, however, was way beyond the scope of any fire person had ever witnessed.

The author takes us inside the mangled and terribly destroyed exits to escape the twin towers. He relates that elevators where jammed, and the terrible feeling of those above a certain level above where the plane crashed into the buildings who would never escape the terror.

Then, the author carefully describes the aftermath and the people buried beneath the tons of fallen debris. There is one story of a number of men, working round the clock to carefully remove fallen panels that were crushing the legs of a survivor. The man was rescued after a most admirable and grueling effort.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was good. I liked how different people told their story about what they went through on 9/11.

[❀⊱RoryReads⊰❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a good book about the wonderful fireman who went up into the towers as everyone was trying to come down and lost their lives when the towers fell. They are the best of our nation and also the police who lost their lives that day.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book and enjoyed the fact it shed light on what the firefighters went through on that fateful day and the subsequent days afterward. Dennis Smith is a well-known firefighter turned writer, and I would recommend this book of his to others. However, if a person were to only read one book about 9/11 and/or about the 343 firefighters that lost their lives that day, I would adamantly recommend The Last Men Out: Life on the Edge at Rescue 2 Firehouse instead of this one. While this book is a worthwhile read, it lacks flow sometimes, and the author repeats himself quite a few times. That ultimately forced this book into the 4 star read category vs 5 star.

[Donna Schoening · Rating 2 out of 5]

I so wanted to like this book, but I couldn’t even finish it. The first half is testimony from firefighters and police officers. It was so good at first but gets repetitive quite quickly. The second half is the aftermath where the author seems to brag about his own past firefighting experiences and now as a writer. It was disappointing to me as a reader. I’m going to read The Only Plane in the Sky & am hoping for a better reading experience.

[Cheryl Woolsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read.

This is one of those books that you don't speed through. You take your time and mourn and remember the atmosphere of America on September 12th. When we all loved eachother. These stories of the brave men and women are incredible. I learned so much from it. I was 14 when it happened. There is so much I didn't know.

[Katy S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Difficult to read straight through due to heavy subject matter and over 100 pages of first hand testimony / accounts. Dennis handled the topic in a respectful light and managed to explain firefighting in layman's terms.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was too young to remember 9/11 and the impact it made on the world, but my grandfather was a firefighter. He always felt a kinship to the firefighters in 9/11, so I picked up this book and read it in hopes of understanding his feelings.

However, it took me a while to get through this book not only because of the tragic subject, but also because it isn't written in a traditional way, making it difficult to understand.

The first half of the book are personal accounts of the firefighters who arrived and put their lives on the line for at Ground Zero. They range from amazing stories sharing miraculous survivals to the really sad stories of loss. It was difficult to read at first due to the oral language/ style of the writing, and I kept flipping through pages to remind myself who was who whenever they started sharing names. As personal as these accounts were, I just didn't find it as effective in written form. I feel like I would have benefited more by watching a video sharing their experiences rather than reading their accounts due to the oral style that was written.

The second part of the book is told by one person (mostly); Dennis Smith. He recounts the events and experiences of the firefighters, New Yorkers, and Americans in the aftermath of 9/11. The writing in this part of the book is easy to follow, but also sorrowful and hopeful. I really appreciate Smith sharing his faith in God and how living through his faith got him through these difficult times, as well as reach out to friends and family walking through the same emotions he was. He shares some thoughtful insights of this tragedy, which makes this book well worth the read.

Ultimately, this book is hopeful as it shares within the aftermath of this tragedy the brotherhood within the community of firefighters and how they support each other and the families affected by this attack. I can't help but feel amazed by the bravery of these firefighters and gratitude for their continual service.

As someone who doesn't remember 9/11, there was one quote in particular stood out to me, which sums up the hopeful sentiment within this book. I will share and conclude this review with it:

"Someone has put a huge sign across the World Financial Center reading WE WILL NEVER FORGET. It ripples gently in the wind above a thrirty-foot-wide American flag. I appreciate this sentiment, and the fact that it has been stated in twenty-foot-tall lettering. But I can't help thinking, we do forget. Ultimately, we find that it is almost always in our interest to do so, for our own benefit as a society." pg 233.

[Mallory]

I will be honest - I did not finish this, but read enough to qualify *for me* as a read book. I found the testimonies section at the beginning the most gripping and heartbreaking. To read the accounts of many first responders, some who were trapped in the fallen towers, reminded me how many different perspectives and experiences of the same event there were. My issue was with how they were organized and introduced. There was not really a theme or pattern to it, and it felt very unclear why one story was told after another with no throughline.

My primary reason for not completing the book was the author's writing in the second half. There is something to be said for personal testimony and experience, but it felt like Smith was almost TOO close to the subject he was writing about, having been a firefighter and with first responders for so much of his life. It was similar to reading a journal or diary entries. Additionally, he made some statements that were just questionable, not backed up with any footnotes, references, anything. Things like "I was told that..." or "I heard about this..." made me question his journalism skills. This book came out within the first year of the attacks, and I believe most of the proceeds were designated to relief funds for the families affected, so I think while this may not be the most factual account of 9/11, it does provide the reader who chooses to pick it up with an immediate view. Once again, never forget.

[Pamela Roberson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sad but very informative book

I wonder now how the author feels about former mayor Giuliani after seeing his disturbing behavior while rubbing elbows with trump. It's hard to recognize the mayor you described as the same person I have seen in the past three and a half years. I hope that the world will never forget what happened on 09/11/2001, but I fear that so many have already forgotten or see it as old news.
I myself believe it was an inside job and that all those civilians, firefighters, police officers and port authority officers were used as a means to start a war that would give Bush's friends million of dollars in military contracts. Never in history has a skyscraper ever fallen in a fire no matter how long the fire, but we had three skyscraper fall at free fall speed in one day. Hey girl does not burn hot enough to bend, stretch, or destroy steal. Nano termites can and have been found all over ground zero.

[Bill Jalbert · Rating 2 out of 5]

I simply could not finish this book.

The first half, all excerpts from survivor interviews, was interesting, informative, and overwhelmingly depressing.

I was looking forward to reading about the aftermath, looking for stories of hope and closure. But, Smith's writing style is so verbose and gratuitous,it was difficult to keep reading. I felt like I was reading a 1st year college student's English 1 essay. Writing for word count, not content.

I really wanted to like this book, as I thoroughly enjoyed "Report from Engine Co. 82". Unfortunately, Smith's perceived need to clutter his prose with unnecessary details proved too laborious for me.

[Felicia Potter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so hard to read. It took me about a month to get thru it. I appreciated the very personal voice of the author being a retired firefighter and the personal stories he was able to tell. I was working at a 911 in Ohio during this and it always has felt very personal. For as traumatic as it felt to me and everyone else I can’t imagine the full weight of their trauma and grief. In just the last few years I have started around this time to read some of the stories and remember them. I will never forget them. We owe it to them all to remember them faithfully. I’m so proud of them.

[Susan Liston · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are valid criticisms of this book in other reviews here, but they didn't much matter to me in this case. The stories are awful and super sad and made me cry, which is why I have avoided this for all these years, having sniffled through other survivor stories. But how cowardly and/or insensitive to NOT read about what these poor folks went through. Could have been any one of us, after all.

[Jessica Tengstrand · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an incredible account of 9/11. It's 2 parts, the 1st part is all about people's accounts of what they saw and their experience during the plane hitting the towers and the towers collapsing. The 2nd part is about the aftermath of cleaning up the devastation and the search and rescue mission. It's an amazing and sad and uplifting story of that day. I recommend this book and now I want to read more by him. Great writer!!!

[David Julian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A phenomenal, but heavy read. I have had 3 or 4 failed starts to this book over the years, but I'm glad I finally said enough is enough, read it and finish it. As a volunteer firefighter myself, who has lost members (none ILOD) I can resonate with the emotions felt at funerals. I'm glad to have had some of the friendships I have had and to have stood honor guard. Let us never forget this day and the souls we lost.

[Vince Cooper · Rating 3 out of 5]

What did you like best about this story?
The experience of 9/11 during and after. Hearing what is what like in the pits working the cleanup.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
No extreme reaction because when you choose a 9/11 book, you pretty much know what you are going to be reading about.

[Gayle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A deeply personal memoir by a fireman of the efforts to recover the 433 firefighters who perished in the 9/11 World Trade Center Attack. As with many other books about 9/11, this one gave me a new and deep appreciation for the brotherhood of firemen and the great familial loss that took place that day.

[Anthony Bracciante · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compelling read about the events and aftermath of September 11th, 2001 focusing on the FDNY attempts to retrieve their 343 fallen comrades. Compared to Report From Engine Co. 82 the writing is not as good and the relating of events is somewhat disjointed and repetitive. Still this is a good book that will deeply stir the emotions of anyone that lived through these events.

[Jamie Costa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t end up finishing this book. I got about 50 pages away from the end and I think this is the first book I’ve ever stopped reading. I got what I needed from it, which was the insurmountable pain and destruction and death that faced the country in 2001. The clean up efforts and descriptions of funeral services became redundant toward the end. The photos were the best part.

[Megan Holt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Telling the first hand stories of the first responders, then the day to day experiences of the author at Ground Zero, this book is a heartfelt, poignant, and beautiful memorial to the 343 firefighters lost in the WTC.

[Brittney Martinez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful insight into 9/11 from a firefighter during that time. It's good to read it as a snapshot of that time as it does come off as a bit dated, especially when the author begins to talk about the impending war.