Firemen example essay topic

Observation Essay As my family and I arrived in New York City, the day was cool and breezy with just a little chill in the air; I had no idea that my life was about to be touched in a way I never thought possible. Even though we were very excited about seeing this massive city and all its glitter; we also felt anxious knowing that we were about to see ground zero. As Robert, our friend, made the introduction's to the four New York Firemen, they smiled with enthusiasm and eagerness to show us the city they are very proud to call home. At this time, we jumped into the van ready for our adventure. Soon after that we started to approach ground zero, although it was several blocks away we could see the after effects of the dust and debris still falling from the sky like flurries of snow.

Also, windows were shattered and boarded up as if we were entering a war zone; nevertheless, people still filled the streets like it was any other day. So the closer we got to ground zero, the mood in the van became calm, even the children were quiet. As a result, the firemen's faces became solemn as we passed the observation deck that had been built for the tourist and locals to see the horrific devastation that had taken place. And then I looked to my right and there it was - the wall of flowers, pictures, letters and prayers taped to the fence for missing loved ones.

In a distance, I looked further as I could see the cold steel cross standing erect in the air that had been formed when the towers fell. Ironically, right across the street stood a little historical church untouched by the earthquake tremors of the Twin Towers as they crashed to the ground. Page. 2 Suddenly, the van turned right as we enter directly into ground zero, the signs read " HARD HAT AREA". Next, we got out of the van when we noticed a ball of tangled metal; it was a car. At this point I felt myself starting to fill with emotion as we all stood there in disbelief.

One of the firemen quietly said, "come with me". We started to walk into the firehouse, and posted on the door were statistics to date of bodies found, body parts found, police found and firemen found. Then my stomach went sour I realized this was not a movie set. Climbing the stairs of the musty old firehouse, we saw the lockers of the firemen who lost their lives, still full of family pictures and personal items. Finally, we made it to the roof and there it was, the whole picture of the subway crushed under the rubble, the layers of floors that collapsed one on top of each other and the smell of sulfur filled the air. A smell from my childhood when my father, a retired firemen, would come home from a fire the odor still imbedded in his clothes.

While I looked at the total destruction, I felt the tears filling my eyes, my throat starting to close as if someone had knocked the wind out of me. Next to me, I noticed three of the four firemen who brought us were reliving the terror of September 11th -- the day the world stood still. Though tears flowed down their faces, at the same time, I saw my father crying. Consequently he knew the answer to the question that many of us wanted to know, "how could those firemen go into the buildings knowing what they were about to face?" It was for the love of the job! All of a sudden a bell went off, the men in the yard stood at attention as they brought another body from the rubble; I never thought such a large city could ever seem Page 3 so still, not as much as a sound was heard on that roof that day. At that time, I walked out front of the firehouse, there was a statue of a fireman adorned with pictures of all the firemen who lost their lives.

Next to it stood the fourth fireman while he looked at the pictures and crying he said, "this is my first time back since that day". On this day January 6th, 2001 my life changed forever I felt and witnessed more in that one day then I hope to ever see in a lifetime.