FARRAH MAFFAI Steve Vorwerk, 17, carries a canister for the American Red Cross as he asks his fellow students at Jackson Memorial High School for support. Students helped to fill this canister and others like it with more than $2,000 to aid relief efforts in the wake of the Sept. 11 attack on America.
PLUMSTED — Lt. George Titko of the Plumsted Police Department said the one thing he will always remember about being at ground zero — the site in lower Manhattan that was the home of the World Trade Center until Sept. 11 — was the "unnatural brightness in the sky."
Titko, 42, a 15-year veteran of the department, along with Sgt. Robert Pintye and his canine partner Max, went to the disaster site two days after the Sept. 11 attack on America to offer assistance in the search and recovery efforts.
Also responding to New York City were Cpl. Matt Petrecca, and Deborah Burke (emergency management search and rescue) and Linda Salcfus (emergency management coordinator).
Titko said seeing the damage caused by the terrorists’ attack on the two 110-story towers and their subsequent collapse was "very devastating."
Titko said the officers arrived in New York at about 9 p.m. Sept. 13. He said the high-powered generators in use put out a light that made the scene seem brighter than midday.
Due to the heavy rain that fell that evening, Titko said, they walked the rubble in the mall that was located beneath the twin towers, as well as in subway stations. He said although rain hinders a dog’s sense of smell, a couple of times Max, who is a trained tracking dog, seemed to react as though he had detected something, but unfortunately nothing came of it.
Titko said when they arrived on the evening of Sept. 13 and until they finished their shift at 7 a.m. Sept. 14, there were ongoing reports from all over the site of clanging and banging coming from under the rubble.
Titko said whenever someone yelled out "quiet," all work and talk in a particular area would completely cease in order to afford the rescuers a better chance to listen for the sounds of survivors. Unfortunately none were found.
Titko said the teamwork he saw at the disaster site was the most impressive thing he has ever witnessed. He said he plans to go back and "hopefully do more."