Jay Jonas

The New York Fire Department's engine and ladder companies have different responsibilities when fighting fires. The engine company puts out the fires with water hoses; the ladder company is responsible for entering the building and rescuing people inside if necessary. Jay Jonas is the captain of New York Fire Department's Ladder 6 company, which has about twenty-five firefighters.

After the alarm sounded for the fire at the World Trade Center, Jonas and his company entered Tower One, the first tower to be hit by a hijacked airplane. When the unit got to the twenty-seventh floor, the other tower collapsed and they knew it was time to evacuate the building. On their way down the stairs, Jonas and his men encountered a woman named Josephine who, due to problems with her feet, walked very slowly. They were determined to stay with her, however, until...