Twenty-five years after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Thomas von Essen, who served as New York City's Fire Commissioner during the tragedy, has issued a stark warning about the potential for renewed terrorism threats. Von Essen, who lost 343 firefighters on 9/11, believes that current migration policies in some Western countries, particularly Britain, are "idiotic" and could mirror the conditions that allowed the attacks to occur.
Recalling the events of that "beautiful, clear day," von Essen described receiving an initial report of a small plane hitting the North Tower of the World Trade Center. He initially dismissed it as a minor incident until he arrived at the scene and witnessed the devastating reality. "It wasn't a small plane, boss, it was a commercial jet," his fire chiefs informed him. The realization dawned that the water lines were severed, making firefighting impossible, and that those above the 90th floor were unlikely to survive.
The second plane hitting the South Tower at 9:03 a.m. confirmed the horrifying suspicion: the United States was under attack. Von Essen recounted the efforts to evacuate an estimated 15,000 to 18,000 people, acknowledging the impossible decisions made under pressure. He still carries the weight of the emergency plans from a previous 1993 bombing, which advised people to remain in one tower if the other was attacked. "If everybody had been evacuated immediately from the South Tower, we wouldn't have lost anybody," he reflected, but acknowledged they could not have predicted a second plane strike.
Aftermath and Grief
The aftermath of 9/11 was marked by days of searching for survivors beneath the rubble, a grim task that yielded no survivors after the first day. Von Essen described the immense personal pain of attending funerals for colleagues and supporting grieving families who could not even recover the remains of their loved ones. "To be the commissioner that lost more people than anybody ever before him was exceptionally painful," he stated, emphasizing the deeply personal nature of the tragedy for him.
Concerns Over Modern Migration Policies
Now, von Essen expresses profound concern about what he perceives as a dangerous naivete in current government approaches to migration. He criticizes politicians for allowing "thousands and thousands of people into your country and not know who they are or what their mission is," calling such policies "idiotic." He specifically cited Great Britain, suggesting the country may be "as dumb as we are" for not identifying individuals who harbor animosity towards them.
Von Essen believes the threat of terrorism is potentially greater now than before 9/11. While acknowledging advancements in technology and monitoring by agencies like the FBI and CIA, he noted that extremist groups also leverage sophisticated technology, including artificial intelligence, and are recruiting more effectively. "They have AI, they're recruiting better than they did and getting more people," he warned, adding that while many recruits may be unintelligent, they are guided by intelligent leaders.
Scrutiny of Public Figures
The former fire chief also addressed recent controversies surrounding New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Von Essen criticized Mamdani for, among other actions, signing an executive order for a day of remembrance for the 9/11 attacks and then presenting the pen to a former Al-Qaeda defense lawyer. "For a smart man, seems pretty dopey to me," von Essen commented on the mayor's actions.
Von Essen remains actively involved in disaster relief work, having served with FEMA and assisted in hurricane response in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, as well as the COVID-19 response in New York City. He also supports the UK-based charity Since 9/11, which advocates for mandatory education on the 9/11 attacks in British schools. He believes it is crucial for young people to understand that dangerous individuals exist and have not disappeared.
In recognition of their service following the attacks, von Essen, along with former Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik and Mayor Rudy Giuliani, was appointed an honorary Commander of the British Empire (CBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in 2002.