Lt. William McGinn, 43, devoted father and husband
By Maura Grunlund Advance staff writer Sunday, 09/30/2001
Lt. William (Billy) Edward McGinn of Riverdale, a former Staten
Islander, was a devoted husband and father. As a member of Squad
18 based in Manhattan, he was among the first units to arrive
at the scene of the World Trade Center disaster. As part of the
day crew, Lt. McGinn had expected to be fully engaged in a day-long
training drill on tanker explosions at the Fire Academy on Randall's
Island. Instead, Squad 18 was one of the first units from Lower
Manhattan to arrive at the scene of the plane crash. At 8 a.m.
on the fatal day, Lt. McGinn called his wife, Dr. Anne Golden
McGinn, formerly of Great Kills, to say good morning and tell
her not to worry if he was unable to call until late in the day.
Dr. McGinn never again heard from her husband. Sept. 11 was to
be memorable for another reason. Lt. McGinn was looking forward
to taking part in a charity event he had helped to organize for
that evening. Other FDNY officers were to join Lt. McGinn as celebrity
bartenders, with proceeds to benefit the New York-Cornell Burn
Center. Three of the four firefighters who were to take part in
the charity event died or are still missing. "Billy was totally
supportive through the long years that I pursued my doctoral degree
and encouraged me in my career," said Dr. McGinn, who has a Ph.D.
in public health. "He was devoted, loving, thoughtful and eternally
optimistic. He cherished his family, was dedicated to the job
he loved, and approached every day with incredible energy." As
the father of Liam, 8, and Cordelia, 6, Lt. McGinn was active
in the Parents Association and served on the School Leadership
Team at PS 81 in Riverdale. He coached Liam's team in the North
Riverdale Baseball League and he was the den leader of Cub Scout
Pack 613. Lt. McGinn scheduled his work hours to spend the most
time possible with his children. Their well-being and their education
were his greatest concerns, and his deep love for them always
was evident. He was a regular fixture in the school yard, the
neighborhood pool, and entertained groups of children and adults
alike with his firehouse stories and jokes, Dr. McGinn said. >From
his children's first nursery school classes on, each year he came
in full turn-out gear to teach their classmates about fire prevention
and what to do in case of a fire. Many parents report that their
children still talk about "Firefighter Bill," Dr. McGinn said.
Known as the neighborhood "Mr. Mom," he was listed on many a school
child's emergency contact card. When a child was hurt, parents
would call Billy, often at the child's request, to diagnose or
treat the problem, Dr. McGinn said. He also was able to paint,
repair, build, or demolish just about anything, and could always
be depended upon to assist his family or his friends with their
projects, Dr. McGinn said. Born on Staten Island, Lt. McGinn lived
in New Dorp and attended Our Lady Queen of Peace R.C. School,
Egbert Intermediate School, Midland Beach, and New Dorp High School.
He graduated with a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering
from the City College of New York of the City University of New
York, Manhattan. Inspired by his uncle, the late Lt. Kevin McGinn
of Richmond, his ambition and dream was to serve as a New York
City firefighter. He was appointed to the FDNY on March 5, 1984,
and began has career at Ladder Company 11 on the Lower East Side
of Manhattan. After several years, he transferred to Brooklyn
and became a member of Squad 1, part of the elite Special Operations
Command. He was working in Squad 1 on the day they were called
to respond to the WTC bombing in 1993. He was promoted to the
rank of lieutenant on May 5, 1994, and became an officer in Engine
Company 56 in the Bronx. Lt. McGinn became an officer of Squad
18 when it was re-established in 1998. As a member of Squad 18,
he regularly participated in specialized training in emergency
response to extraordinary events, including terrorist attacks.
In addition to his wife and children, Lt. McGinn is survived by
his mother, Joan McGinn of New Dorp; his brother, Michael McGinn,
and his sisters, Susan Bradley, Maureen DeAngelo, Sheila McGinn
and Ellen Albro. The family asks that contributions be sent in
Lt. McGinn's name to the New York-Cornell Burn Center or the Squad
18 Family Fund. A mass will be held Friday at 10:30 a.m. in Our
Lady Queen of Peace Church. Burial will follow in Resurrection
Cemetery, Pleasant Plains.
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