Today we pause in remembrance of the lives lost 22 years ago today ordinary people became heroes as they gave their own lives selflessly to save the lives of others. One of the more famous accounts of the events surrounding the World Trade Center are those of Captain Paddy Brown and FDNY Truck 3.

Capt. Paddy Brown (FDNY 3 Truck/Ladder 3): “I’m on the 35th floor, okay, okay? Just relay to the command post we’re trying to get up. There’s numerous civilians at all stairwells, numerous burn injuries are coming down. I’m trying to send them down first. Apparently, it’s above the 75th floor.

I don’t know if they got there yet. Okay.

Three Truck and we are still heading up. Okay? Thank you.

”Command Post to Ladder 3:“Command Post to Ladder 3, get out of the building!”

Capt. Paddy Brown responded: “This is the officer of Ladder Co. 3. I refuse the order! I am on the 44th floor and we have too many burned people with me. I'm not leaving them!”

These are the last radio transmissions from Captain Patrick “Paddy” Brown, Commanding Officer of FDNY’s 3 Truck (Ladder 3).

No firefighter, police officer or EMT goes into this job with the plan of giving their life in the line of duty, but we all know that every time the tones drop or a call is dispatched that this could be the last call we ever respond to.

To the thousands of families and loved ones that lost people on 9/11 and the battles that followed, we thank you and we will never forget you.