The 343 Brigade

On the morning of September 11, 2001, 343 New York City Firefighters died. At the next St. Patrick's Day parade, a special contingent of 343 Firefighters marched up Fifth Avenue. Each was in dress uniform and each carried an American Flag. They marched behind a banner with the number “343” and they filled an entire City block.

343 is a number; the sight of three hundred and forty three men, each marching in honor of one of their brothers who died that day, brought home the scope of our collective loss. It was heartrending.

This is the 343 Brigade and they have since marched in every St. Patrick's Day Parade.

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In the days that followed that attack, NYC firefighters worked amid the rubble of the World Trade Center in hopes of finding any survivors. They had been assured that conditions were safe for them and many did not wear - or did not receive - proper breathing equipment.  In the years that followed, hundreds would die as a result of cancers, respiratory and auto immune illnesses and numerous other aliments contracted from the toxins they were exposed to. Fifteen years later there are hundreds more living with these lingering, debilitating diseases.  To our shame, many have yet to be recognized as victims of the 9-11 attack so that they can receive the proper medical care they deserve.

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I shot this photo as the 343 Brigade passed in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral, March 17, 2002. If it is a bit unsharp, it is probably because my hand was trembling just a bit.