Retired
Firefighters, WTC Victims, Reinstated Firehouse.Com News
New York State moved August 20, to reinstate in the Fire Department
of New York, even though they had retired, three former firefighters
who were who were killed at the World Trade Center September,
11, 2001. The three men, James J. Corrigan, William X. Wren, and
Phillip T. Hayes, were employed by WTC, Corrigan as Fire and Life
Safety Co-ordinator and Wren and Phillip as Fire Directors. Corrigan’s
son, J. Brendan Corrigan, said his father had retired from the
FDNY in the mid 90s. He had spent part of his duty at Engine10
Ladder 10, the closest station to the WTC so knew the towers and
buildings well. J. Brendan Corrigan said his father was seen several
times in the CBS ``9-11'' documentary that featured video footage
from inside the World Trade Center after the terrorist attacks.
The ``9-11'' special was based on footage captured by Jules and
Gedeon Naudet, French filmmakers and shown last March. The legislation
will provide benefits to the victims survivors and that the three
men will be recognized as firefighters suffering Line-Of-Duty
Deaths for the many memorial services and activities that are
forth coming. S. 7716: An act to make certain domestic partners,
parents, and widows and children of certain firefighters dying
at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 eligible for special
accidental death benefits pursuant to section 208-f of the general
municipal law (PART A); and to make certain domestic partners
of certain firefighters dying at the World Trade Center on September
11, 2001 eligible for health benefits and to make the surviving
siblings of certain firefighters so dying eligible for certain
pension benefits (PART B) The legislature further finds and determines
that certain persons were employed as firefighters by the fire
department of the city of New York and were killed in the course
of such employment at the World Trade Center on September 11,
2001, leaving as their survivors their dependent parents. The
legislature further finds and determines that James J. Corrigan,
William X. Wren, and Phillip T. Hayes were formerly employed as
firefighters by the fire department of the city of New York and
were killed while retired from such employment and in the course
of firefighting at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
Notwithstanding any provision of any general, special, or local
law to the contrary, the provisions of section 208-f of the general
municipal law shall be deemed to apply to the widows and children
of James J. Corrigan, William 16 X. Wren, and Phillip T. Hayes,
and such widows and children shall be eligible for the special
accidental death benefit provided by such section upon the same
terms and conditions as other persons eligible to receive benefits
pursuant to such section. Furthermore, James J. Corrigan, William
X. Wren, and Phillip T. Hayes, shall be deemed, as of September
11, 2001 to have been fully reinstated to full active employment
status, at their highest achieved rank and status, on and as of
September 11, 2001 without any diminution or return of their previously
received retirement benefits. The benefits provided by this section
shall be payable from the general fund in monthly installments.
This act shall take effect immediately and shall be deemed to
have been in full force and effect on and after September 10,
2001.
Back
to William's Home Page