New York City Police Department, New York
End of Watch Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Add to My HeroesClaire T. Hanrahan
Sergeant Claire Hanrahan died of illnesses she contracted after inhaling toxic chemicals and materials while working hundreds of hours at Ground Zero, the site of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
Sergeant Hanrahan had served with the New York City Police Department for 20 years and was assigned to the Narcotics Borough Manhattan North. She is survived by her husband and three children.
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 44
- Tour 20 years
- Badge Not available
Incident Details
- Cause 9/11 related illness
- Incident Date Tuesday, September 11, 2001
- Weapon Aircraft; Passenger jet
- Offender 19 suicide attackers
Most Recent Reflection
View all 40 ReflectionsClaire’s niece here,
Thank all for the kind words and thoughtful posts. Reading these posts on a day like today I cannot help but cry. When I lost my aunt in 2007 something clicked that I needed to follow in her foot steps. Currently I am a Detective but in a few months I will be Sergeant hopefully carrying out her legend with her shield number. Thank you all for your service and your service on this tragic day. Rest easy my hero. Hope you’re opening multiple cans of whoopass up there.
DET Tracey Dolan
NYPD
September 11, 2024
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