On September 11, 2001, the date of the largest terrorist attack against the United States, two Portuguese firefighters joined the search and rescue operations in the hours and days following the attack. The Portuguese participation in these emergency operations demonstrated international solidarity in the face of the tragedy that struck American territory.
José Ricardo Bismarck is one of the Portuguese firefighters who participated in these operations. He recalls the eight days he remained on American soil, working on rescue missions among the rubble resulting from the collapse of the twin towers.
The search and rescue operations after September 11 mobilized thousands of emergency responders from around the world, including Portugal. The Portuguese firefighters contributed their experience and efforts to try to find survivors at the sites affected by the terrorist attacks.
