On September 12th, over 800 sanitation workers, supervisors, and chiefs were assigned to clean lower Manhattan below Canal Street. The operation initially focused on the area east of Broadway, and eventually expanded to all of lower Manhattan, gradually shrinking the blast footprint to that of the WTC site itself. Workers had to contend with ever-present dust clouds and glass falling from damaged windows.
“We were tasked by Mayor Giuliani, on the second or third day, to clean lower Manhattan so that they could re-open the Financial District.”
-Dennis Diggins
Working 24/7, in 12-hour shifts, DSNY was able to clean enough dust and debris for the Mayor to re-open the NY Stock Exchange on Monday, Sept 17th.
“We were always the unheralded, background agency. We were always there to do the work, and that’s the way we’ve always operated.”
-Dennis Diggins
DSNY supported recovery operations not only with cleaning and debris removal, but with numerous other unsung tasks:
assisting the Health Department to clear rotting food out of abandoned homes and businesses
fueling all equipment at the WTC site for the first couple of weeks, not only for the first responders but also for volunteer equipment
Collecting refuse from the food provided to first responders
Providing light packs for overnight work and search through empty buildings
Providing 40% of all trucking throughout the entire recovery effort
DSNY equipment, like salt spreaders and collection trucks, were used as blockades to protect sensitive areas of the City like Gracie Mansion, the United Nations, and One Police Plaza
Emergency Response Division
A few days in, DSNY created the Emergency Response Division to streamline the cleaning and hauling activity at Ground Zero. Listen to Sal Annerino’s story in the DSNY Oral History Archive to hear more about the ERD.
“We did this without stopping normal operations throughout the City.”
-Michael Mucci
While DSNY was eager to join the relief effort, it was also critically important for people to stay the course in their normal duties, and incredibly DSNY services continued uninterrupted throughout the months that followed 9/11. The work of everyone in DSNY - in all locations, and in all boroughs - allowed the City to demonstrate its resilience and show that it was not defeated.