On the 24th anniversary of September 11, former Chicago Fire Department Special Operations Chief Patrick Maloney joined Chicago’s Morning Answer to recall his experience traveling with fellow firefighters to New York in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks. Along with his brothers, Jim and Tom, Maloney was part of the contingent of Chicago first responders who left for Ground Zero on September 12, 2001, to assist their counterparts in New York City.
Maloney described the urgency of those hours: gathering equipment at the academy, organizing caravans, and receiving police escorts across multiple states. He recalled strangers approaching to hug and thank them as they stopped for fuel. By the time the group crossed the George Washington Bridge, the sight of smoke still rising from Lower Manhattan made the devastation heartbreakingly real.
Arriving at the command post near Ground Zero, Maloney and his team encountered a scene he described as “apocalyptic” — burning cars, smoldering fires, and an overwhelming sense of loss. Orders came quickly: some firefighters were assigned to suppress flames while others began search operations in the debris. “Welcome to hell,” one New York fire chief told the arriving Chicago crew.
The Chicago contingent spent several days in New York, setting up makeshift quarters at a school and working through exhaustion in hopes of finding survivors. Although those hopes went unfulfilled, Maloney emphasized the sense of brotherhood among first responders, forged under unimaginable circumstances. That camaraderie has lasted for decades, with Chicago and New York firefighters maintaining close ties to this day.
Health issues linger for many who served at Ground Zero, including Maloney and his brothers. Yet he insists he would make the same decision again, calling it a duty of the profession. Beyond the personal cost, Maloney reflected on the unity the country experienced in the days following 9/11 — a spirit he wishes could be recaptured today.
“I always say, if we can’t help each other, who can we help?” Maloney said, noting the lifelong friendships and unbreakable bonds formed amid tragedy.