Back from Costa Rica...

Trip to Costa Rica was AWESOME.  I didn’t have any real Internet access there, so I did up some postings in BlogJet and now will post and backdate them for the days written.  It will be a little funky, but you’ll get the drift…

While I was gone, news reached me of a tragic accident involving a friend from the local FD.  There was a freak boating accident involving some firefighters, and one of them, Battalion Chief Chip O’Hara was killed.  I’ll post on it later.  What a tragedy.  I’d like to offer my condolences to his family and friends, which include over 250 members of Martin County Fire Rescue.

I thought about Chip this morning, and then this afternoon read the following piece regarding FDNY release today of transcripts of 911 calls and firefighters' oral accounts:

STATEMENT FROM THE NEW YORK CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT REGARDING SEPTEMBER 11TH RECORDS RELEASE

“Pursuant to a ruling issued by the New York State Court of Appeals on March 24, 2005, the Fire Department today is releasing additional records related to the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. In accordance with this ruling, these materials are being released with appropriate redactions provided for under the court’s decision. Prior to the court’s ruling, the Fire Department voluntarily provided numerous materials related to the attacks. The Department believes that the materials being released today – including oral histories and radio communications – will serve to further confirm the bravery and courage of our members who responded to the World Trade Center. It is the Department’s hope that the release of these records will not cause our members and their families any additional pain or anguish.”

I’m sure these materials will cause at least a little more pain for those most intimately affected by 9/11, but I hope there are still lessons to be learned from the events.  I’m interested in the first-hand accounts as reported to the FD’s own folks, which I think will have a different flavor than media-captured events.  No info yet on how to obtain the materials, but I’m sure its a load of stuff, hopefully already in an electronic form.