New York, – Aircraft manufacturer Airbus has helped one of New York City’s most hard hit fire companies in the September 11 World Trade Center attack return to full capability, with the donation of a new state-of-the-art fire and rescue truck.
America’s first rescue unit, Rescue One, located on West 43rd Street in Manhattan, was presented the custom-built vehicle by Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer Noel Forgeard, at a firehouse ceremony with Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scopetta.
Airbus first contacted fire truck manufacturers in late September as it explored options on making a contribution to New York and the fire department.
Mr. Forgeard told the men of Rescue One, “We salute you and remind you that every time this truck rolls, a lot of Airbus people you will never meet will be riding with you.”
The $750,000 Rescue One apparatus and a $450,000 police department lighting truck, now under construction, are part of a $2 million donation Airbus is making to New York City and the family funds established by American Airlines and United Airlines in the names of crew members lost last September.
Before the attacks on New York City, the fire fighters of Rescue One and Captain Terry Hatton had been developing a design for a new truck to replace the 17-year-old unit then in service. Last October, Airbus teamed with Saulsbury Fire Rescue, the Preble, NY-based company contracted to build the unit for Rescue One.
Mr. Forgeard said that while Airbus is ‘the best at designing large airplanes, we cannot take a bit of credit in designing this apparatus.” Those honors belong to the men of rescue One and Captain Terry Hatton and the 10 good men who died with him on September 11.”
A plaque with the names of those lost is mounted in the truck.
