THE PORT AUTHORITY OF NY & NJ Memorandum

TO: Joseph Morris, Chief of Department

FROM: Gene Ceccarel 1 i
DATE: November 3 0, 2001
SUBJECT: WTC DISASTER, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 - PERSONAL
RESPONSE

COPY TO: Lt. E. Gutch

At approximately 0848 hrs. on Tuesday, September 11, 2001,1 heard a cell phone ringing
inside a gym bag that Insp. Tony Infante left in my office earlier that morning. We were
both scheduled to attend arbitration hearings that day. I answered the phone and heard a
male voice (which weeks later I found out was Rabbi Meyer, PAPD Chaplain), say that
the WTC was just hit by a plane. I looked down the hall at the TV in the lunchroom, and
did see a large black smoking area at the top portion of Tower 1.

I immediately proceeded to Chief Romito's office. He was standing outside of his office
with Dir. Morrone, Insp. Infante, and I believe, Asst. Dir. Michael Scott. They appeared
to be aware of the situation. I informed Chief Romito that I was going to respond to the
Emergency Operations Center (at Journal Square). He nodded in approval.

I told Police Officer Bill Savarese (Office of Emergency Management) to accompany me,
and I directed someone to have Lieut. Honig respond as well. Bill and I proceeded to my
car, accompanied by Nina Rogacki, Manager, Central Police Systems Bureau. We
proceeded from the PATC to Journal Square.

Upon entering the EOC, we activated the radio console, started a chronology of events,
made and received phone calls, and other related tasks. Other police and civilian
personnel entered to assist (including P.O.'s Gus Danese, George Lorenz, and Florian
Kosinski).

At one point, I received a call from the JTTF informing me that the 2 planes that hit the
Towers were hijacked out of Logan Airport.

When Captain Stryker arrived, we worked together in running the EOC.

After seeing only one tower (Tower 1) standing, I spoke with Captain Stryker about him
taking over the EOC while I responded to the WTC. He told me that he could handle it.
I directed Lt. Honig to respond with me to the disaster site. P.O. Kazinski took over
radio operations from Lt. Honig.

PORT AUTHORITY POLICE

Pride Service Distinction
Lt. Honig and I got to the entrance of the HT, put on respirator masks, and proceeded to
lower Manhattan via West St. We were able to drive to Chambers St. where we assisted
in finding a holding location for police personnel escaping from the disaster site. I
believe it was Stuyvesant High School where we first found an office area with phones.

Upon meeting up with Chief Hall, he and I got together with the General Counsel, Jeffrey
Green, and the Director of the WTC Department, Alan Reiss. We attempted to walk
toward the WTC to observe the condition of the site. However, it became nearly
impossible to see due to all of the dust in the air. We returned back toward Chambers St.
It was there that television news reporters approached us for a story.

Later, reports from an unknown source were circulating that there may be explosive
devices planted in Stuyvesant H.S. and an adjacent building. A PAPD K.-9 team was
dispatched (P.O. Cottrell). In the meantime, we vacated the Stuyvesant H.S. location and
proceeded northbound on West St. I hooked up with the Command Post Vehicle. P.O.
Frank Accardi was driving same. We parked the CPV on West St. (near North Moore
St.). Lt. Honig was making arrangements to get power and phone service for the C.P.V.

The Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), located on West and North
Moore, had a large gymnasium inside. We (PAPD) took over the gym as a staging area
for police personnel.

I spent approx. 24 hours at the Command Post. On the evening of Wed., 9/12,1 was
assigned to the temporary NYC Office of Emergency Management located at the
NYCPD's Police Academy on 20th St. On Thursday, 9/13,1 returned back to the PAPD
Command Post and started a regular 1900 - 0700 hrs. shift, which lasted for
approximately 3 weeks.

/—-;=-£__—-(_
le Ceccarelli
Police Inspector
Security Services

PORT AUTHORITY POLICE

Pride Service Distinction