Last 9/11 Firefighter at NYC’s Ten House Reflects 25 Years Later

The Lasting Legacy of Ten House

When hijacked planes struck the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, Argano was working a shift in Brooklyn on loan to another station, sparing him from being at his usual post in the small Manhattan firehouse. Six members of his station were among the 343 New York City firefighters who died in the collapse of the twin towers, as reported by U.S. News & World Report. “If I wasn’t sent out on rotation there would have been a good chance I would not be here today,” Argano told U.S. News & World Report. “I think about that all the time.”

Today, at age 65, Argano is the final firefighter still working at the station who was assigned there in 2001. The firehouse, home to Engine 10 and Ladder 10, functions both as an active emergency response station and an unofficial memorial site. Thousands of tourists visit the location daily, stopping to view the large bronze relief on the building’s exterior that lists the names of the firefighters killed on 9/11.

Life at Ground Zero’s Front Door

Capt. Terence Brody, who commands Ladder 10 and has worked at the station since 2016, noted the unique public nature of the assignment. “This is definitely one of those companies where if you don’t want to ingratiate yourself to the public, it’s definitely not the right place,” Brody told U.S. News & World Report. “People around the world know this firehouse. They’re going to come by and say hello.”

On 9/11, Brody was still in the fire academy, where cadets grabbed their gear and were bused directly to ground zero. He recalled the dense debris falling like snow in what started as a sunny Tuesday, creating an apocalyptic environment. In the immediate aftermath, Ten House operated as a command center and a safe space for exhausted first responders.

Firefighter Robert Favata, who joined Ladder 10 in 2008 after graduating from the academy, watched the surrounding area transform from a massive construction pit into the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum. “When I got here, there was nothing,” Favata told U.S. News & World Report. “I never thought they were gonna finish.”

Honoring the Past While Serving the Public

Argano spends much of his time near the station’s open bay doors, answering questions, shaking hands, and taking photos with visitors. He views his role as a dual responsibility: serving as a living testimonial to the events of 9/11 and acting as a public representative of the FDNY.

He regularly reminds younger firefighters—many of whom were born after the 2001 attacks—of the importance of treating visitors with respect, despite the relentless pace of tourists and occasionally intrusive questions. “This is not like any other firehouse,” Argano told U.S. News & World Report. “We have our fire duty, we have our responses, and then we have a responsibility toward the people outside.”