Decades After 9/11, A Lone Veteran Firefighter Keeps Watch at Ground Zero’s Ten House

A quarter of a century after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, reshaped Lower Manhattan, veteran firefighter Sal Argano continues to report for duty at the firehouse situated just across the intersection from Ground Zero. Now 65 years old, Argano stands as the final active member of the station's 2001 roster who remains on staff at the historic facility, embodying a living bridge between a devastating tragedy and the renewed neighborhood standing today.

Argano’s survival on that catastrophic morning came down to a fortunate twist of scheduling. When hijacked commercial airliners slammed into the World Trade Center towers, the veteran New York City firefighter was not at his regular assignment in Lower Manhattan. Instead, he had been temporarily assigned on loan to another fire company located across the East River in Brooklyn.

Upon learning of the unfolding disaster, Argano immediately rushed downtown toward his home station. When he arrived, he found the modest Manhattan facility heavily battered and damaged from the surrounding devastation, though the structure itself had managed to withstand the nearby collapses.

The relief of finding the building standing was quickly overshadowed by immense grief. Argano later learned that six firefighters from his station were killed during the collapse of the twin towers, joining the grim toll of 343 New York City Fire Department members who gave their lives in the rescue efforts that day.

The sheer arbitrariness of his survival has stayed with Argano throughout the decades that followed. He frequently reflects on how close he came to sharing the fate of his fallen colleagues, openly recognizing that had his rotation not placed him in Brooklyn that morning, he likely would not have survived the day's catastrophic events.

Nearly 25 years later, the station house—formally home to Engine 10 and Ladder 10 and known throughout the department and the city as "Ten House"—functions under a unique dual mandate. Its personnel continue to operate as an active frontline emergency unit, while simultaneously serving as a de facto living monument visited continuously by travelers from all over the world.

The firehouse itself incorporates poignant markers of remembrance that draw steady streams of visitors. Affixed along the building's exterior is an expansive bronze relief memorial that records the names of the firefighters who lost their lives on 9/11, offering a solemn focal point for those walking toward the adjacent plaza.

Passersby and tourists heading to the National September 11 Memorial frequently pause outside the station's open garage doors to capture photos and view the polished Engine 10 and Ladder 10 apparatus. The visual presence of the active trucks creates an immediate connection between everyday fire operations and the site’s historic past.

Commanding officers at the station emphasize that working at Ten House requires embracing its constant visibility. Ladder 10 Commander Capt. Terence Brody, who is 55 and joined the station in 2016, noted that firefighters stationed there must be prepared to interact warmly with the global public, given how widely recognized the facility is around the world.

Brody’s own memories of September 11 trace back to his days as a trainee in the fire academy. Following the impacts, academy cadets gathered their protective gear and were transported by bus straight to Ground Zero, arriving into a disorienting, debris-choked environment where thick particulate hung in the air like heavy snowfall on an otherwise bright Tuesday morning.

During the immediate aftermath of the disaster, Ten House took on critical operational roles. The damaged station served both as an essential tactical command post for emergency leadership and as a temporary refuge offering shelter, rest, and support to physically exhausted first responders working the pile.

In the ensuing years, personnel assigned to Ten House observed the gradual physical reconstruction of the area. Firefighter Robert Favata, now 46, was assigned to Ladder 10 directly after graduating from the academy in 2008, spending his early years working alongside an immense, bustling construction excavation where the towers once stood.

The surrounding landscape has since been fully remade into a permanent public memorial and commercial hub. Across the street from Ten House, two massive waterfall pools occupy the precise footprints of the fallen twin towers, bordered by bronze parapets engraved with the names of nearly 3,000 victims, while modern skyscrapers once again surround the complex.

Beneath the plaza, the National September 11 Museum preserves physical remnants of the disaster, including twisted structural steel beams and a crushed fire engine. Above ground, tour guides continue to educate crowds outside the station, sharing stories of fallen heroes such as Daniel Suhr, the first firefighter to die during the attacks on the World Trade Center.

The station also serves as a meaningful gathering point for the international emergency response community. Visiting first responders, including overseas volunteer firefighters, routinely stop at Ten House to pay tribute, share greetings with active crew members like Argano and Lt. Anthony Giannone, and honor the enduring legacy of the department.

Through decades of rebuilding and solemn commemoration, Argano's continued presence at Ten House maintains an unbroken line of service at the site. His daily commitment alongside newer generations of firefighters ensures that the sacrifices made on September 11 remain an active part of the firehouse’s daily mission.