Remembering the Broadcasters Lost on 9/11

This week marks the 25^th anniversary of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.  The date 9/11 is seared into the memory of all Americans, especially New Yorkers.  We all remember where we were that day.  Some of us experienced the tragedy firsthand in New York City.  We lost friends and family.  All of us will never forget the self-sacrifice and heroism of the New York City police and fire departments that saved thousands of lives.

As broadcasters, we should also remember our colleagues, the broadcast engineers working at the World Trade Center on that fateful day. 

• Steven Jacobson, 53 - Steve was a 22-year veteran of WPIX.  He loved the industry and was totally committed to it.

• William “Bill” Steckman, 56 - Bill was an employee for WNBC-TV for over 35 years.  Bill was the youngest member of the specialized group of engineers that maintained NBC’s Television and Radio transmitters

• Rod Coppola, 47 - Worked at WNET for 16 years.

• Bob Pattison, 40 - In New York, Bob Pattison tended transmitters for WCBS on top of the World Trade Center and the Empire State Building.

• Don DiFranco, 43 - The engineer in charge of maintaining WABC-TV’s transmitter on the 110th floor of 1 World Trade Center, approached the tasks of life with perfectionism.

• Isaias Rivera, 51 - A 30-year CBS veteran, had been on the 110th floor the first time One World Trade Center was bombed in 1993.  He helped others reach safety in 1993 but did not survive 9/11.

We all have different memories of the tragic events that occurred 25 years ago.  As we remember, let us not forget these engineers who lost their lives trying to continue broadcasting to a frightened New York City.

You can see the story of the 9/11 Engineers on the NYSBA Hall of Fame website here.