Photos by Jonathan White 

NYC FIRE FIGHTERS RETURN HOME
WITH KEY TO CITY
Ambassadors to Richmond take brief respite 
from trauma of 9-11 Tragedy

March 5, 2002. You could tell by the way they talked that the two Fire Fighters were not from Richmond. And by the tremble in their voices, you could also tell that the memories of the rescue and recovery efforts at ground zero at the site of the World Trade Center terrorist attack were still very fresh in their minds.


Yet New York City Fire Fighters Richard LaRocca and John Westfield were able to smile for the standing ovation and boisterous round of cheers and applause from the City employees and fellow colleagues who crowded the Council Chambers on Tuesday morning. Mayor Irma L. Anderson was responsible for bringing them to Richmond last Thursday. And on this day, she presented them with a Key to the City as a show of appreciation and support for their brave and heroic acts on that tragic day last September.


"On behalf of 'Cities Unite America', we thank the New York City Fire Fighters," said Mayor Anderson, reading from the inscription on the plaque. "Our sincere thanks and appreciation from the residents and the City of Richmond, California." Anderson visited ground zero three weeks ago while attending the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, D.C.


"From the mayor, to the chief, the fire fighters, even the citizens of Richmond. I know we were treated the best everywhere we went," said NYC Fire Fighter Richard Larocca, after the applause finally died down. He was referring to the hospitality he and Westfield received during their four-day visit to Richmond. "It's a little emotional and overwhelming. And on behalf of Ladder 116 and the NYC firemen and their families, we thank you for your support. When we were down and out, you guys brought us up."


LaRocca and his partner, John Westfield, are assigned to the Ladder Company at Station 116 in Queens. Westfield confessed he wasn't a very public person, but he decided to give it his best shot and try to put his feelings into words. "We lost a lot of brothers that day, and I was very fortunate," said Westfield as he struggled to fight back tears. "And on behalf of the City of New York, we'd like to thank you." After a brief pause, Westfield added, "And please, just think of the brothers."


Some City employees and others in the audience were moved to tears as the two fire fighters spoke. LaRocca and Westfield's company was about to enter the World Trade Center with rescue equipment when the first of the twin towers came crashing down. Since the attack, they have worked at the site in 30-day stretches sifting through the debris in the recovery and clean up efforts that are expected to last until the end of the year.


"It's very tough on us as fire fighters and police officers to watch our comrades and not be able to do anything," said Chevron Fire Chief Mark Ayers. One month to the day following the event, Chevron passed the hat around all of its facilities and collected more than $30,000 in that single day. Two weeks ago, a check was presented to the New York City Fire Department for the fire fighter relief effort. Chief Ayers also presented LaRocca and Westfield with prized souvenir T-shirts from the Chevron Fire Department.


The fire fighters' visit was arranged by the Mayors Conference, which encouraged member cities to host a fire fighter as a way to provide an opportunity to relieve some of the stress from work in the aftermath of the attack, and to help cope with the loss of hundreds of fellow fire fighters in the incident. The Mayors Conference paid for the travel arrangements and some 300 cities participated. About 20 fire fighters were hosted by Bay Area cities.


Richmond Fire Fighter Rod Woods and Fire Captain Jim Russey worked out plans to treat LaRocca and Westfield to a variety of activities, including an afternoon of hunting, a tour of the Travis Air Force Base fire department and aircraft transport operations, a visit to the Budweiser plant in Fairfield, and a sightseeing trip to San Francisco. Westfield also got his wish to cross the Golden Gate Bridge and pay the toll. Richmond Deputy Fire Chief Richard Giaramita also arranged a dinner in Oakland for more than a dozen of their New York City comrades that was attended by about 300 fire fighters from around the Bay Area. 


"We had the best time out of anybody," said Westfield. Richmond fire fighters have been invited to New York City to march with their fellow fire fighters in the St. Patrick's Day parade later this month.