New York City Fire Department - Bureau of Fire Investigation, New York
End of Watch Tuesday, September 11, 2001
Add to My HeroesRonald P. Bucca
Fire Marshal Ronald Bucca was killed in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks while attempting to rescue the victims trapped in the World Trade Center.
He and several other members of the fire department had made it all the way to the 78th floor of the South Tower, one floor below the point of impact, before the building collapsed.
Marshal Bucca and all New York City Fire Marshals are considered law enforcement officers in the State of New York and have full power of arrest.
Marshal Bucca served as a military police staff sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserve during the Gulf War. During the ensuing War on Terror, a U.S. Army camp in Iraq was named Camp Bucca in his honor. He had served with the New York City Fire Department for 23 years, and is survived by his wife, daughter, and son.
The 9/11 Terrorist Attacks
On the morning of September 11th, 2001, seventy-two officers from a total of eight local, state, and federal agencies were killed when terrorist hijackers working for the al Qaeda terrorist network, headed by Osama bin Laden, crashed four hijacked planes into the World Trade Center towers in New York City, the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
After the impact of the first plane into the World Trade Center's North Tower, putting the safety of others before their own, law enforcement officers along with fire and EMS personnel, rushed to the burning Twin Towers of the World Trade Center to aid the victims and lead them to safety. Due to their quick actions, it is estimated that over 25,000 people were saved.
As the evacuation continued, the South Tower unexpectedly collapsed as a result of the intense fire caused by the impact. The North Tower collapsed a short time later. Seventy-two law enforcement officers, 343 members of the New York City Fire Department, and over 2,800 civilians were killed at the World Trade Center site on 9/11.
A third hijacked plane crashed into a field in rural Pennsylvania when the passengers attempted to re-take control of the plane. One law enforcement officer, who was a passenger on the plane, was killed in that crash.
The fourth hijacked plane was crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, killing almost 200 military and civilian personnel. No law enforcement officers were killed at the Pentagon on 9/11.
The terrorist attacks resulted in the declaration of war against the Taliban regime, the illegal rulers of Afghanistan, and the al Qaeda terrorist network which also was based in Afghanistan.
On September 9th, 2005, all of the public safety officers killed on September 11th, 2001, were posthumously awarded the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor by President George W. Bush.
The contamination in the air at the World Trade Center site caused many rescue personnel to become extremely ill and eventually led to the death of several rescue workers.
On May 1st, 2011, members of the United States military conducted a raid on a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, and killed Osama bin Laden.
Please click here to visit the memorials of all of the law enforcement officers who have died as a result of the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks.
Bio
- Age 47
- Tour 23 years
- Badge 317
- Military Veteran
Incident Details
- Cause Terrorist attack
- Weapon Aircraft; Passenger jet
- Offender 19 suicide attackers
Most Recent Reflection
View all 98 ReflectionsI am working through life-changing events. I thought I would log on to update a previous Reflection. I guess my account is so old, the "stay logged in" doesn't apply to me. Please forgive if there is some duplication.
Ron Bucca and his family personify true public servants. I get almost physically ill when most politicians claim to be public servants. Holding back anger, I think: "They wouldn't dare say that in a group of people who knew Ron."
Most of us would feel ecstatic to have just one of Ron's strengths. Because he had thoroughly studied the previous WTC attack, he of all people knew how bad the odds were of coming out alive.
He could have sought less demanding assignments many times, but "the Flying Fireman" was never deterred from giving his all, even when it was not his turn. Over the years, his presence and finely honed skills comforted and literally saved many people.
Ron was a mentor to me and so many others, formally or not.
Almost daily there are accounts of events where I think, "if only Ron were there" the outcome would have been better.
If I can leave the earthly world with just 1/10th of Ron's accomplishments, I would be a happy man.
Ron is always in the thoughts of so many who I have used Ron's story for an example of a true public servant.
"No greater love hath man..."
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