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H.E.A.R.T 911 will respond nation-wide to situations that arise duringnatural or man-made disasters. The team's expertise is in developing policy,procedures and programs for hazardous materials, confined space rescue, massfatality management, corporate asset recovery and terrorist intelligenceassessment.
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Bill Keegan was the Night Operations/Safety Commander for the FDNY at theWorld Trade Center site from September 11, 2001 until June 3, 2002. Duringthat time, Owen McCaffery and John Moran held the same positions as Mr. Keeganat the site for the NYPD. Tom Thees financed a "thank you" concert for 2,500World Trade Center Recovery workers at the Beacon Theater in July, 2002. Mr.Thees donated and raised money for many families who lost loved ones in theattacks.
Their W.T.C. Rescue/Recovery experience has given the H.E.A.R.T 911 boarda unique overview of the coordinated and sustained effort needed to respond toa crisis. "The experience of 9/11 left us with an overwhelming need to usewhat we've learned to aid in other disaster relief work", said Keegan.
The current team is made up of about 100 firefighters, police officers andconstruction workers who volunteered or worked on rescue and recovery onSeptember 11th. In the event of another man-made or natural disaster, the teamis ready and willing to help. H.E.A.R.T. 911 is currently in talks withofficials in New Orleans about the possibility of assisting with rebuildingefforts in the local gulf community.
Family members who lost loved ones in the attacks have offered theirservices and will work with residents who need emotional support and helpnavigating logistics such as government agencies, insurance companies andlocal administration. "We have all experienced profound loss and we feel wecan be helpful to those who are going through something similar. We want togive people who are in distress an opportunity to benefit from what we learnedthrough our own tragedy", said Jill Marsella whose husband, Thomas Swift, anemployee at Morgan Stanley, died in the World Trade Center on September 11th.
Bill Keegan is the author of, Closure: The Untold Story of the Ground ZeroRecovery Mission which was published in September, 2006. "The only way to healand honor those we lost on September 11th is to help others. There is healingin having a purpose", said Keegan. A portion of the book's proceeds went toThe Fallen Heroes Fund to benefit families of NYPD and FDNY who lost theirlives on 9/11.For more information please visit www.heart911.org Press Contact: RoseMarie Terenzio, RMT PR Management phone: 212-414-1909, cell: 917-913-7226 email: [email protected]
SOURCE H.E.A.R.T 911
