New York – Chief Peter Ganci, Deputy Fire Commissioner William Feehan, and Chief of Rescue Ray Downey are among those firefighters confirmed dead after yesterday’s carnage in New York City, Newsday reports.
Peter Ganci was promoted to Chief of Department in 1999. He was 54 years old and leaves behind children who are firefighters.
First Deputy Commissioner of the Department Feehan was 72 years old and often was called on to conduct the department’s press conferences.
Chief of Rescue Ray Downey was well known in the industry and a popular officer among FDNY personnel. Ray Downey was a battalion chief, chief of rescue operations, and a 40-year veteran of the Fire Department of New York. The former captain of Rescue Company 2, he was the USAR task force leaders representative to FEMA for all 27 teams and was a member of FEMA’s Advisory Committee. Downey was also the author of the book The Rescue Company, the video Rescue Operational Planning: Factors for Success, and the video series Collapse Rescue for the Fire Service, published by Fire Engineering. He was a member of the FDIC educational committee, and a H.O.T. class instructor and presenter at FDIC shows. Downey directed the emergency efforts after the bombings in Oklahoma City, and at the World Trade Center in 1993, as well as after hurricanes in the Dominican Republic and elsewhere. He was at the scene yesterday when the towers collapsed. Evidently, he survived the first tower collapse, but was trapped when the second tower collapsed. His two sons were both on the job yesterday.
Earlier today, five firefighters and one police officer were recovered form the rubble.
Keep checking back for more updates throughout the day.
ABC News reports 41 civilians have been recovered and Mayor Guiliani has stated that 202 firefighters are missing.
Also confirmed dead is Rev. Mychal Judge, 68, chaplain of the New York City Fire Department.
