Prepare, Serve and Live Fully: A WakeMed Employee's Remembrance of 9/11

Rob Maloney has been a WakeMed Safety and Preparedness officer in the Department of Environmental Health and Safety for the past 19 years. 

"Our team ensures all WakeMed properties are compliant with the fire code and national, state and jurisdictional rules and regulations. We measure our efficacy based on the elements the Joint Commission will look for when they do their three-year safety inspections of our environments of care." 

Several years prior to working at WakeMed, he was a firefighter in New York and was on active duty during the 9/11 attacks.

---

For Rob, September 11, 2001, began like any other day off. A member of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), he served 23 years in the fire service. On that Tuesday morning, he was home in Suffolk County, preparing for a trip, when his wife called him into the room to watch the television.

He saw the first World Trade Center tower burning. Then he watched the second plane hit.

“I turned to my wife and I said, ‘We’re at war. I’m going into the city, and I don’t know when I’ll be back,’” he reflects.

A Pledge to Answer the Call

Rob lived approximately 60 miles from the World Trade Center. As news of the attacks spread, the city activated its recall procedures, calling firefighters back to duty. He made his way to his command in Fort Totten, Queens, arriving around 10 am. He and his colleagues gathered their equipment and prepared to deploy.

Initially, they were ordered to “stand fast” — and to remain at Fort Totten in case additional attacks occurred. About an hour later, Rob was among the first wave of firefighters cleared to head to the World Trade Center site.

He and his colleagues arrived in full firefighting gear and immediately joined the effort. Rob spent the first 48 hours at Ground Zero digging through areas around the World Trade Center, moving equipment and assisting with logistics.

“There was a lot of activity by the firefighters,” Rob remembers. “They would go up, help people, bring them outside and then come back in and do it all over again.”

Firefighters worked tirelessly amid horrific destruction, trying to reach those trapped inside the towers and make the best possible use of the resources available.

"We helped the injured. We helped those we could. Many were wounded. Most didn't survive. In fact, unless you were outside of the building, you likely died, so we were involved mostly in recovery efforts. Gratefully, there were small pockets where we extricated survivors in the building. Miraculously, some people were stuck in a stairwell that didn't collapse, and we rescued them. Despite the devastation, one silver lining was that the planes hit early in the morning. Every minute the planes could have waited to hit, would have resulted in hundreds and hundreds more people entering the World Trade Center and losing their lives." 

The Names Became Personal

As the days passed, the magnitude of the loss became increasingly personal for Rob. He began hearing the names of friends and colleagues who had been in the towers.

• Among them was his close friend, Fire Marshal Ronnie Buka, who raced up to the 72nd floor of Tower 1. Ronnie was a member of the US Army’s Green Berets, a registered nurse and a highly decorated member of the elite Rescue 1 in Manhattan.
• Also included was Jack Tipping, Sr., a firefighter and father whom Rob had worked with. Jack Sr.'s son, Jack Jr., was assigned to Ladder 2 in Manhattan and was initially reported missing. At the time, Rob was working with the forensic identification unit. Jack Sr. approached him with a simple but deeply personal request: If his son was recovered, he wanted to receive an immediate phone call. Days later, Jack Jr. was recovered. Rob made the call.

Moments like these remain among the most painful memories of his time at Ground Zero.

Lessons that Remain 

More than two decades later, Rob believes 9/11 left lessons that extend far beyond the fire service. On a personal level, the attacks taught him the importance of being prepared for the unexpected.

“When 9/11 happened, I knew I was heading down that morning. I didn't know when I would be back,” Rob shares.

Before leaving, he made sure his wife and their two young children had everything they needed in case he didn't return.

For Rob, preparedness isn't about living in fear. It's about recognizing that life can change in an instant.

“We need to educate ourselves to be prepared for the what-ifs,” Rob explains. “I’d rather have it and not need it than vice versa. We need to take personal responsibility, self-awareness and situational awareness seriously. Here at WakeMed, we are committed to serving our community no matter the circumstances. When we do safety drills in our various environments, we need to solidify the training because what we do in training is what we'll do under stress.”

It Brought Us Together

Rob also remembers another lesson from 9/11: the way Americans came together.

“We are really all one,” Rob comments. “We are all citizens of the country. We all feel pain and loss. We are a human family, and we all need to work together, pray together and live together in harmony.”

In the aftermath of the attacks, people stood together, supported one another and cared for strangers. That sense of unity, he says, is something worth remembering — and rebuilding.

"I'm glad to rank among the helpers. In my firefighter career and in my transition to the healthcare industry at WakeMed, I have been immersed in the culture of medical care. I have experienced their passion, compassion — and desire to make life better. It is a privilege to work in an environment where I walk out the door every day feeling that I've made a difference." 

He believes remembering 9/11 should go beyond recalling the events of that day. It should include understanding the historical facts, honoring those who were lost and considering what their lives and sacrifices can teach us today.

“Every year for September 11, I go up to New York City, and I gather with those I worked with. We attend memorial services — remembering, reflecting together.”

Live Life to the Fullest

Perhaps the most meaningful lesson Rob carries from September 11 comes from the firefighters who never made it home.

Over the years, he and his FDNY brothers gathered at funerals and for dinners to remember their fallen colleagues. They often talked about what those lost firefighters might say if they could return for just a moment.

“If those individuals were back with us, they would put their arm over our shoulder and say, ‘Live life to the fullest. Remember God’s in control. Do your best.’”

For Rob, that message is a lasting tribute to those who were lost — and a reminder to those who remain.

Watch the video interview.