The FDNY Memorial Wall was presented to, and accepted by the Fire Department of New York City (FDNY) as a gift from the law firm of Holland + Knight and its Charitable Foundation under the direction of Brian Starer. It serves as a lasting tribute to the sacrifices of the 343 active Department personnel who lost their lives in this tragedy, and to all firefighters who serve worldwide. Designed with the full participation of the FDNY, on June 10, 2006, The FDNY Memorial Wall was dedicated to the memory of Glenn J. Winuk, volunteer firefighter, partner and colleague of Holland + Knight, who lost his life as he tried to save others in the fall of the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001.
The 1913 Firemen’s Memorial in New City’s Riverside Park is held dear by the New York City Fire Department. It is dedicated “to our brave citizens who have lost or will sacrifice their lives in a war that never ends.” The bas-relief of the FDNY Memorial Wall, dedicated on June 10, 2006, is a composition inspired by the New York Fires Department's response to the events of 9/11. The FDNY Memorial Wall depicts the equipment, apparatus and tactics used in battling this tragic event. Not intended to be exact, it is meant to be inclusive, representing each group, tool and type of vehicle present that fateful day.
Viggo Rambusch, project manager and designer, felt it critical to reference history in creating a lasting tribute to our fallen heroes. He returned to classical heroic examples, namely the monument of the Roman Empire, Trajan’s Column and bas-relief. From his design, through funding, development and refinement toward fabrication, the Memorial was a coordinated team effort of many individuals, resulting in the fifty-six foot long bronze wall you see today at Ten House, adjacent to Ground Zero.
video produced and donated by Charles Hargrave