Honorees

← Back to directory

Year Honored
2002
Honoree
Robert D. Cirri
Agency
Port Authority of NY & NJ Police Department
Agency City
Jersey City
Agency State
New Jersey
Last Call
9/11/2001
Cause of Death
Terrorist Attack
Biography
With the World Trade Center in flames, Lt. Robert Cirri called his wife and stated he was on his way to help. He was only a couple of blocks away, "He told me he was safe, but that he couldn't watch people running out of the building," stated Eileen Cirri. "He needed to go help."Robert D. Cirri, 39, lost his life September 11, 2001 when the twin towers collapsed in the worse terrorist attack to hit American soil. Reports state that Mr. Cirri gathered a group of fellow officers and led an expedition into the North Tower in order to assist the droves of people injured and fleeing the building. He was on the second floor evacuating patients when he made the last call, during which his transmission brutally ended. He was seen giving his breathing mask to a person having trouble breathing.Mr. Cirri was employed by Port Authority Police Department of New York and New Jersey. He was trained to provide police, fire and EMS duties. Part of his job included training police recruits in EMS first responder skills. The highly trained Cirri also taught defibrillation, trauma triage and transport, As well as basic trauma life support. He was also a paramedic for the Hackensack University Medical Center for eleven years.Mr. Cirri started a ham radio operation business as soon as he realized he could turn a hobby into something that could help people. He and his partner became part of the Jersey Coastal Emergency Service, a nonprofit organization that monitors emergency airways. Bob was a great family man. He would bring his family together on weekends and cherish his times with them. He was known for the calm manner in which he handled situations. He is truly a hero lost.Honored 2002