Sisters man works in New York clean-up

The scene at ground zero.

The Sisters area sent one of its own to aid in rescue and recovery efforts in New York City in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

John Goossens of the Sisters Ranger District is a member of Pacific Northwest Team 3, one of 16 National Incident Management Teams that respond to major disasters. The team went to New York City on September 13 and worked there through September 26.

"It was humbling to be there," Goossens said. "I was glad to be able to help in some small way and proud to represent the Northwest in this effort."

Goossens recounted his journey.

"We flew from Redmond to New Jersey and set up our command post and warehouse in Edison, New Jersey. It was pretty hectic," he said. "Our team of 50 members dealt with providing supplies for the rescue workers and warehousing.

"There were 22 different agencies involved and no lead. When FEMA arrived (Federal Emergency Management Administration) the checkbook opened and we got things organized. It was hard work but the 16-18 hour days were worth it," Goossens said.

Conditions were rough at "ground zero."

"Initially there was no power at the site of the September 11 tragedy," Goossens said. "We had to bring in about 150 generators, gas masks, hard hats, gloves and other specialized equipment. Food and showers had to be provided for the rescue workers. Decontamination facilities for cleanup had to be constructed."

Goossens was somewhat taken aback by the huge numbers of police. He noted that New York City has 40,000 police personnel, while the entire U.S. Forest Service (his employer) has only 32,000 people.

"It took a while to adjust to these numbers," Goossens said.

Security was ongoing and very strict.

"To reach ground zero we had to wear two identification badges and go through a checkpoint," Goossens said. "Security was very tight and the Holland Tunnel (under the Hudson River) was closed to all but emergency traffic. We finally started using a barge to bring supplies from the New Jersey side of the river into New York City."

The actual site of the disaster was horrific.

"At ground zero, pictures cannot do justice to the carnage," Goossens said. "Everything was pulverized except the metal. There were 16 acres of debris. Fourteen stories of rubble, seven originally above ground and seven lower levels confronted the rescue teams.

"Firefighters used ordinary buckets to clear the rubble and look for survivors," Goossens said. "It was a slow job and every time a part was discovered work had to stop because this was a crime scene and the FBI had to gather the evidence. "

Goossens raised a point that is often lost in the intense focus on ground zero: Emergencies continue to happen every day throughout the city.

"Even while this was going on you must remember that the fire department was handling an average of 20 fire calls a day at other locations," Goossens said.

Goossens placed a small memorial from Oregon at the site.

"I placed a small American flag that the Redmond Chamber of Commerce had given me to plant in New York City at one of the damaged areas," he said. "Below it was a picture and description of one of the lost victims."

Goossens was part of a 50 member team "primarily BLM, Forest Service and State Police" that stayed in New York City for two weeks.

Joe Stutler was team leader for Pacific Northwest Team 3.

"He is very well respected by everyone who works in fire and rescue efforts," Goossens said. "Joe is located at Redmond Air Center."

Back in Sisters, John Goossens is Facility and Fleet Manager at the Sisters Ranger Station.