F I R E D E PA RT M E N T

31 RICHARDS STREET BROOKLYN, NY 11231

TEL. 718 965-8232 FAX 718 596-8032

BATTALION 32

TO: Noah Hoffeld Chairman - N.Y. Art Of Living

Foundation

FROM: James Bossert Battalion Chief

DATE: September 25, 2001

SUBJECT: Events Of Sept. 11, 2001

The events of Sept. 11, 2001, set in motion a complete recall of all off-duty
members of the NYC Fire Dept. Thousands of Firefighters raced to their stations for deployment
to the World Trade Center. The firehouse on Hooper St. was designated as a mustering site for
that section of the city. I was the chief in command of that operation in those first 12 hours and
was charged with organizing and then dispatching to the scene all the arriving Firefighters.
As you might imagine, there was a great urgency and a great amount of
logistical needs. As the day wore on and hundreds of Firefighters were being staged at that
location the need for food became a real concern. The Department, faced with such a
catastrophic event, had not yet been able to address providing food to these members. It was at
this point that your organization arrived and graciously provided a supply of sandwiches to these
hungry Firefighters.
I would like to personally offer my thanks to you and all those in your
organization who so graciously worked to make so many sandwiches and deliver them in such a
timely fashion. They were distributed and ferociously consumed in less time than it took your
people to return to their place of business. In the days that followed the attack on the WTC,
there was an overwhelming outpouring of support and supplies to our Department from the
public we serve. the member of FDNY are enormously appreciative and humbled by such an
outpouring. I will always remember how this city rallied around its firefighters during this
tragedy but I will remember most all the contribution of your group. You saw our need very
early on and acted immediately. Your assistance was offered when it was needed most and
before it became a popular thing to do. You made a real difference! On behalf of the members
of FDNY on Hooper Street that day I offer heartfelt thanks!

Sincerely,