A NYC firehouse was 1st to respond on 9/11. 25 years on, Sal Argano is the last still on staff

When the World Trade Center fell victim to hijacked airliners on September 11, 2001, 65-year-old Sal Argano was not at his regular fire station, nestled just across from the towers. Instead, he happened to be in Brooklyn, temporarily assigned to another post. Upon arrival at his usual location, he found the building in shambles but still intact, with six of his fellow firefighters among the 343 New York City firefighters who perished in the disaster.

Argano recalls, "If I hadn't been rotated out, there would have been a strong possibility I wouldn't be alive today. I think about that constantly." Despite the passage of nearly 25 years, Argano continues to serve at the firehouse, remaining the last of the 2001 firefighters still employed there. The station, known as Ten House due to its gleaming trucks parked in the garage, now functions as a vital part of the 9/11 memorial, attracting a steady stream of daily visitors.

Tourists come to pay their respects to the fallen firefighters, taking selfies as they pass the station and gaze upon the massive bronze relief of their names. Capt. Terence Brody, 55, who has commanded Ladder 10 since 2016, notes that the firefighters at Ten House are accustomed to engaging with the public, receiving greetings from global tourists who wish to acknowledge the station's significance.

Brody himself was still in the fire academy on September 11, 2001, when the attack occurred. Following the incident, he and his fellow cadets were transported to ground zero, where they faced an overwhelming scene of debris and an apocalyptic atmosphere. The day began like any other, with sunny skies, but it quickly transformed into a somber and daunting reality.