Ordinary Heroes: A Memoir of 9/11
Joseph Pfeifer
Sep 2021 · Sold by Penguin
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About this ebook
New York Times Bestseller
From the first FDNY chief to respond to the 9/11 attacks, an intimate memoir and a tribute to those who died that others might live
When Chief Joe Pfeifer led his firefighters to investigate an odor of gas in downtown Manhattan on the morning of 9/11, he had no idea that his life was about to change forever. A few moments later, he watched as the first plane crashed into the World Trade Center. Pfeifer, the closest FDNY chief to the scene, spearheaded rescue efforts on one of the darkest days in American history.
Ordinary Heroes is the unforgettable and intimate account of what Chief Pfeifer witnessed at Ground Zero, on that day and the days that followed. Through his eyes, we see the horror of the attack and the courage of the firefighters who ran into the burning towers to save others. We see him send his own brother up the stairs of the North Tower, never to return. And we walk with him and his fellow firefighters through weeks of rescue efforts and months of numbing grief, as they wrestle with the real meaning of heroism and leadership.
This gripping narrative gives way to resiliency and a determination that permanently reshapes Pfeifer, his fellow firefighters, NYC, and America. Ordinary Heroes takes us on a journey that turns traumatic memories into hope, so we can make good on our promise to never forget 9/11.
From the first FDNY chief to respond to the 9/11 attacks, an intimate memoir and a tribute to those who died that others might live
When Chief Joe Pfeifer led his firefighters to investigate an odor of gas in downtown Manhattan on the morning of 9/11, he had no idea that his life was about to change forever. A few moments later, he watched as the first plane crashed into the World Trade Center. Pfeifer, the closest FDNY chief to the scene, spearheaded rescue efforts on one of the darkest days in American history.
Ordinary Heroes is the unforgettable and intimate account of what Chief Pfeifer witnessed at Ground Zero, on that day and the days that followed. Through his eyes, we see the horror of the attack and the courage of the firefighters who ran into the burning towers to save others. We see him send his own brother up the stairs of the North Tower, never to return. And we walk with him and his fellow firefighters through weeks of rescue efforts and months of numbing grief, as they wrestle with the real meaning of heroism and leadership.
This gripping narrative gives way to resiliency and a determination that permanently reshapes Pfeifer, his fellow firefighters, NYC, and America. Ordinary Heroes takes us on a journey that turns traumatic memories into hope, so we can make good on our promise to never forget 9/11.
New York Times Bestseller
From the first FDNY chief to respond to the 9/11 attacks, an intimate memoir and a tribute to those who died that others might live
When Chief Joe Pfeifer led his firefighters to investigate an odor of gas in downtown Manhattan on the morning of 9/11, he had no idea th...
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15 reviews
FFFAAABBBIIIAAANNNAAA NOdrugs NOlgbtq NOsugar
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October 12, 2026
HELP ME URGENT PLEASE 🪖🧊🇺🇲 ICE ERO CBP DHS HSI NYPD 🪖 🧊 🇺🇲 LOVED is the collagen of JUSTICE that preserves the brain of the LAW to nourish the rest of the body URGENT PLEASE HELP ME URGENT PLEASE I still eat meat I learned from the Holy Spirit, who CONSUMES THE FLESH and convicts of righteousness, sin, and judgment. Life inspires the Game🎮: before the thefts, before the torture in the hospital, the ten years of the stolen cell phone, and all the lgbtq drug trafficking schemes; the Police 🚔 were already hunting Pokémon back then, and they continue to hunt No intelligent person wants to use drugs, so they mix drugs with sugar to drug even children No drugs, no addictions; respecting the law is the most important religion in the universe. Socialism, communism, and injustices for example, issues of psychopathy and lgbtq mutilation are criminal pandemics that "abort" people unchecked My family is the one that does the will of the Lord Father: we keep the Law. ALTERING WHAT I HAVE BEEN WRITING ALL THIS TIME ONLY PROVES THE CRIMES🧊🪖 ICE 🧊🪖 DHS 🧊🪖HSI 🧊🪖 CBP 🧊🪖 ERO Medical care for the body, free from theft. RESPECT FOR THE LAW THE MOST IMPORTANT RELIGION IN THE UNIVERSE All the treacherous serpents who robbed me during these ten years of injustice will reap the same fruit and meet the same end as that Judas 🐍 Faster than the speed of light like the One faster than the speed of light who imprisoned the devil before sunrise URGENT PLEASE HELP ME 🪖🧊🇺🇲 RETORNIT a falar aquelas palavras Tem gente que quando se fere só sai poeira porque até o sangue que existia dentro delas explodiu dentro das veias A construção mais importante que existe ainda é o respect porque ele é a estrutura de todas as outras estruturas que existem for universe 🪖🧊🇺🇲 ICE ERO CBP DHS HSI NYPD 🪖 🧊 🇺🇲 I REBUKE YOU Eu te repreendo auqadelas lgbtq do tráfico nem com os 10 anos de roubo e a torturas no hospital sus tenta vel O véu que o SUS Tenta tirar de Pureza originalidade com tortura para o tráfico não está acima da sustentabilidade da carne do combustível e todos os recursos originais que sustenta as habilidades de Um ser superior a elas Aliás foi feito por gente superior não pelo tráfico de drogas que quer retirar tudo e utilizar para produzir lixo e fazer das pessoas cópia barata da pereba de satanas com torturas abusos roubos da pureza de span spancamento vulnerables childs criminals abortanto life's para sus tentar a verdadeiras pragas baratas os crimes feminicidio escravidao eslavery dos vicious eu prefero ENFORCEMENT THE LAW I'm me rebuke you I'm me rejected Eu te repreendo auqadela pombagira lgbtq do tráfico Christian and Mercy andam juntos porque for Mercy ENFORCEMENT THE LAW não sacrifica milhões de pessoas com atentados terroristas domesticos The highly competent and professional police officers are not to blame for those imbeciles dogs having been deceived and led to harm everyone during the attack on the World Trade Center, and for being reduced to pointing at manhole covers. not tortura ou mutila com rituais criminals abusos para manter uma mentira de falsificaçao chamada tráfico de drogas covarde e excessivamente criminosa fazendo inocentes de spam spancamento e pragas baratas para sustentar as drogas baratas e vicious todos horriveis SENsato é ENFORCEMENT THE LAW
paul mc laughlin
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September 12, 2021
God bless Chief Pheifer,an amazing man
Stuart Keel
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April 12, 2024
Excellent book
About the author
Joseph Pfeifer retired from the New York City Fire Department in 2018 as an Assistant Chief and founding director of the FDNY’s Center for Terrorism and Disaster Preparedness. In 2023–2024, he was brought back to FDNY as First Deputy Commissioner and then Acting Fire Commissioner. During his thirty-nine-year career in FDNY, he commanded some of the most significant fires and emergencies in New York City’s history, including being the first Chief at the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001, the Superstorm Sandy fire, and many other extreme events. Pfeifer is an adjunct associate professor at Columbia University, a senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, and a senior fellow at the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point. He holds master’s degrees from the Harvard Kennedy School, the Naval Postgraduate School, and the Immaculate Conception. Joe lives in New York City with his wife and family.
Joseph Pfeifer retired from the New York City Fire Department in 2018 as an Assistant Chief and founding director of the FDNY’s Center for Terrorism and Disaster Preparedness. In 2023–2024, he was brought back to FDNY as First Deputy Commissioner and then Acting Fire Commissioner. During his thir...
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