10/09/2026
NZPFU CALLS OFF STRIKE: Members to hold minute's silence in respect of fallen 9/11 firefighters
The NZPFU has cancelled today’s strike. We ask all Members and Locals to formally hold a minute’s silence to honour the firefighters and other responders who paid the ultimate sacrifice as a result of the 9/11 attacks.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the 11 September 2001 terror attacks.
A total of 2,977 victims are recorded as having died on the day or from injuries sustained in the 9/11 attacks at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and on hijacked planes, not including the 19 hijackers.
We remember the bravery and heroics of all those who responded.
We honour the courage of the 343 firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice in the performance of their duties at the site of the World Trade Center collapse.
We honour the service of more than 600 firefighters who survived the day, or gallantly responded in the aftermath, but have since succumbed to occupational illnesses including cancers through exposure to toxic dust and severe trauma at the site.
We acknowledge that the suffering continues, and the death toll will continue to rise, as approximately 4 out of 5 firefighters who survived the response have been diagnosed with a 9/11-related illness, including cancers and mental health conditions.
For days after the collapse of the two towers, firefighters and other responders bravely reported to Ground Zero searching debris and dust, with 20 survivors—including several firefighters—rescued from the rubble. They then returned to recover anything that could be provided to a grieving community holding onto hope, desperately wanting any confirmation of the fate of their loved ones, no matter what that was. The underground fires burned for nearly 100 days. Responders’ round-the-clock work at the World Trade Center site continued for about 8 months, with the final structural steel column removed on 30 May 2002.
We send our sympathy, support, and solidarity to the IAFF, who have carried the weight of the loss of their members, colleagues, friends, and family from 9/11 through to today. The Union has ensured the rippling impact continues to be recognised with appropriate health studies, hard-fought health measures, and ongoing support for families in honouring the lives of their loved ones. It may be 25 years later, but the loss and tragedy of the day is still keenly felt, grieving has no timeline, and the work of the Union and its membership did not end with the deaths of their brave and heroic comrades. The Union has been at the forefront of not only ensuring the fallen are never forgotten, but also ensuring survivors have dedicated health monitoring programmes and access to treatment.
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https://direemergency.nz/nzpfu-calls-off-strike/
