NEW YORK — A group of Cincinnati firefighters was turned away in the rescue efforts at the World Trade Center — so they made their own plan.

Volunteering at the staging area in New York Tuesday (from left): Steve Kelly, Bret Hicks, Jason Knollman and Dave Mainwaring, all of the West Chester department; and Tom Erb for Colerain Township. (Craig Ruttle photos) | ZOOM |

        Seven men from the Mason, West Chester and Colerain Township fire departments visited six New York City firehouses and offered to help.

        They manned the trucks in one station so the men working long shifts could get a break. And they listened to stories of grief and loss, of digging in the rubble only to find friends dead.

        “Basically, there were memorials everywhere we went,” said Steve Kelly, a West Chester firefighter. “We talked to them for a while, listened to their stories and gave them time to vent.”

        They walked past rows of candles, flowers and messages to greet and console members of their brotherhood. They talked with one firefighter whose search dog found the body of Fire Chief Peter Ganci.

        “He was shaken, about to break down,” Mr. Kelly said. “The only people he said he wanted to be around were firefighters.” They shook the man's hand.

Smoke still rises Tuesday from the pile of rubble that was the World Trade Center and two airliners. | ZOOM |

        They listened to another recount his first day as a firefighter. It was Sept. 11.

        “He said he spent 10 hours down at the site and that was his initiation,” Mr. Kelly said.

        When a firefighter anywhere dies, said Nelson Klaiber, 23, of Mason Fire and Rescue, it's tough.

        “Just sitting at home watching it on TV was frustrating,” Mr. Klaiber said. “It hits you close to home.”

        So with the help of Bill Goldfeder, a former fire chief in Mason who has ties to New York, they all drove up at 1 a.m. Saturday.

        On Tuesday afternoon, the seven got word that no more volunteers were being accepted, that the World Trade Center site had turned from a search and rescue operation to a crime scene. So they decided to head home.

        Dave Mainwaring, 31, of the West Chester Fire Department said that although they did not get down to Ground Zero, the reception they received was phenomenal. “This is a major deal,” he said.

        “People are working together and they don't care who you are.”
       

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