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How many EMTs and paramedics were killed on 9/11?

On the anniversary of the deadly terrorist attacks, the number of EMT and paramedic deaths should come to mind as quickly as “343 firefighters”

I can’t readily and easily answer the simple question, “How many EMTs and paramedics were killed on 9/11?”

It feels like the answer should be as easy for me to access as “343,” which is the number of FDNY firefighters who lost their lives responding to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

Different sites, different numbers

I apologize for not considering this question and seeking out an answer until the 20th anniversary of the attacks. I was already an EMT on 9/11 and have been writing about EMS, teaching EMS and speaking on EMS topics ever since. If someone should know this, it should be me.

I started with a Google search, “How many EMTs and paramedics died on 9/11.” The featured result is an unattributed article on an organization site I have never heard of before. The article states, “10 paramedics and EMTs died on the day.”

A Wikipedia article on “” once reported “Eight emergency medical technicians and paramedics from private emergency medical services,” and a separate portion of the article lists two FDNY EMS paramedics who died on September 11, 2001. That article, as of September 9, 2024, no longer exists.

Seven people are listed on the Emergency Medical Services portion of the 9/11 Memorial. The names begin on panel S-25 on the south side of the South Memorial Pool.

The National EMS Memorial Service tracks EMS provider deaths and there are dozens of search results for “9/11” and “September 11, 2001,” but the isn’t searchable by date of death.

@NYCEMSwatch, a prolific Tweeter of EMS-related news, with a special focus on New York City EMS news, has regularly tweeted an image of .

8 on-duty EMTs and paramedics were killed on 9/11

Feeling more confused than when I started, I messaged Dave Konig, a longtime EMS friend and NYC-based EMS provider and leader. I shared with Konig that I was having difficulty finding an answer or determining an answer. Konig shared that there are eight individuals who are generally acknowledged as having been killed in line of duty because their primary roles that day were as EMS providers. And Konig’s list matched the @NYCEMSWatch image.

Eight on-duty EMTs and paramedics were killed on September 11, 2001:

  1. Paramedic Ricardo Quinn, FDNY EMS
  2. Paramedic Carlos Lillo, FDNY EMS
  3. Paramedic Keith Fairben, New York Presbyterian Hospital
  4. EMT Mario Santoro, New York Presbyterian Hospital
  5. EMT Mark Schwartz, Hunter Ambulance
  6. EMT Yamel Merino, MetroCare Ambulance
  7. EMT Richard Allen Pearlman, Forest Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps
  8. EMT David Marc Sullins, Cabrini Hospital

Sullins, Merino, Schwartz, Santoro, Fairben, and Pearlman appear on the Emergency Medical Services () panel on the South Memorial Pool of the 9/11 Memorial.

Paramedic Quinn’s name is on memorial panel , the same panel as . Paramedic Lillo’s name is a few panels away from Quinn on panel .

Other EMTs killed on 9/11

Three other EMTs, who were not on duty, died on 9/11. Jeff Lyal Simpson, a long-time EMS volunteer in Virginia, was not working as an EMS provider on 9/11, but was in the city as a project manager setting up a new computer system. According to a , “he was last seen headed for the north tower.” Simpson appears on the S-25 panel with Fairben, Santoro, Schwartz, Merino, Allen and Sullins.

Mohammad Salman Hamdani, an EMT who was to have volunteered as an EMT for a year and was also a member of the NYPD Cadet Corps, was killed on 9/11. According to a , Hamdani was on his way to work at Rockefeller University, but after the attack, went to the scene to help. His body, identified with DNA match, was found with his medical bag and identification in the North Tower rubble. Hamdani is listed on panel , the north edge of the South Memorial Pool, an area for people who worked in or were visiting the South Tower or other areas of the complex.

Sergeant Mitchell Scott Wallace was killed in the attacks while working in his capacity as New York State Unified Court System court officer. Wallace was also Bayshore Volunteer Ambulance Corps EMT. He appears on panel with two other court officers.

Guidance for managing the emotions associated with the anniversaries of traumatic incidents

Too many have died

Though eight seems to be a solid answer to my question, “How many EMTs and paramedics were killed on 9/11?,” 11 also feels correct. This year and in the years ahead, I will pause to silently remember and reflect on the selfless service of Quinn, Lillo, Fairben, Santoro, Schwartz, Merino, Pearlman and Sullins. And I will also remember Simpson, Hamdani and Wallace as caregivers who undoubtedly were serving others.

I also will remember and honor the service of the firefighters and police officers who died on 9/11, as well as the growing number of firefighters, police officers, EMTs, paramedics and others who have succumbed to or are suffering from 9/11-related diseases.

Explore the 9/11 Memorial: Use this to find the names of the EMTs and paramedics killed on September 11, 2001.

This article was originally posted on Sept. 8, 2021. It has been updated.

2011-11-04_12-14-35_513.jpg

9/11 Memorial panels S-25, 26, and 27 recognize seven EMS providers, but two paramedics and six EMTs were killed while on duty the morning of September 11, 2001.

Greg Friese

Greg Friese, MS, NRP, is the Lexipol Editorial Director, leading the efforts of the editorial team on Police1, FireRescue1, Corrections1 and SAʴý. Greg served as the SAʴý editor-in-chief for five years. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master’s degree from the University of Idaho. He is an educator, author, national registry paramedic since 2005, and a long-distance runner. Greg was a 2010 recipient of the EMS 10 Award for innovation. He is also a three-time Jesse H. Neal award winner, the most prestigious award in specialized journalism, and the 2018 and 2020 Eddie Award winner for best Column/Blog. Connect with Greg on LinkedIn.