Domenick DiMaggio

Jan 7 2009, 08:15 AM

DoYouEverWonder

Jan 7 2009, 06:27 AM

Domenick DiMaggio

Jan 7 2009, 01:05 AM

that little red truck actually is the entire stoystown fire department. they just happened to be the first on the scene. i do believe there is video from later in the day that shows a shanksville truck at the crash site but i need to check that so don't hold me to saying any shanksville truck actually was at the site.

According to their website, they own at least 3 firetrucks that are currently in operation. I would assume that they already owned at least a couple of these trucks on 9/11, since two of them were built in the 70's. They also show 5 pieces of retired equipment, but it's hard to say when they trucks were 'retired' if it was before or after 9/11.

You would think in a rural community like Shanksville, that they would have sent out everything they had when they got the call that a passenger jet was down? My local fire dept sent out at least 8 trucks to my house last year, that all arrived at about the same time, when we called for a minor fire in the attic.

its possible they still have 3 trucks. i went there twice. both times the place was locked and vacant. its all volunteer so thats to be expected i imagine. however, the 2nd trip was the time the truck photographed on 9/11 was parked outside the firehall. you can get a feeling looking at the pics that it is quite small but when you see it in person it really is mind boggling that such a small truck responded to the alleged crash of a 757.

not that they needed to either mind you. from my conversations with bob blair and doug miller i gathered they extinguished all the fires themselves before this truck even arrived on the scene.

just think had 2 guys been near the pentagon with a fire extinguisher or two in their trucks they could have had that 757 jet fuel fire put out long before the collapse of the wall. well.......maybe not.

Quote:

 

A few years back, amateur photographer David Escherich of Stoystown snapped a photo that went global within hours.Today, his photograph is part of a New York City exhibit that will run through 2010. In September, Escherich and a few friends boarded a bus and traveled to see his photo on display at the Tribute World Trade Center 9/11 Visitor Center at ground zero.

On Sept. 11, 2001, Escherich snapped the picture of downed Flight 93 and captured international attention following the click of his 35-mm camera’s shutter. “I was going through Friedens when I saw a huge plume of smoke, unlike anything I’ve ever seen before,” Escherich said. It wasn’t long before an announcer on the Meyersdale radio station broke in to report a downed plane in Somerset County. Escherich continued on with his day and stopped at the Stoystown post office. He was aware of the devastation at the World Trade Center.

At the Stoystown post office, a friend encouraged him to investigate what had happened. With his camera in his car, Escherich decided he would. Not long after the crash, Escherich was on the scene. Emergency personnel were only just arriving. Undetected, he grabbed his camera and set up his tripod and fired off 10 shots before being asked to leave.

“I was about 150 yards away from where the plane hit,” he said. “But then I did as they said. I packed up and left.”

Escherich knew the images he just captured were important, so he immediately had them processed.
Within 90 minutes of the crash, he shared his historic photo with a local newspaper and it was printed the next day. The following day, The Associated Press sent the Shanksville photo around the world. It is believed that Escherich captured the first images of the crash site.

“It’s been a hobby for me for over 20 years, ever since I was forced to retire from Bethlehem Steel,” he said. “I always have my camera with me.”

<snip>

Escherich has mixed feelings about his accomplishment with the photo.

The image is of a very somber time in the history of the United States. For that reason, it is hard to be elated over the recognition.
“It gives me a good feeling my photo was chosen. But I’m not overwhelmed,” he said.

The photo enthusiast never has received a dime for the photo. And in many cases, it has even cost him with the multiple printings he has done over time.

Escherich recalled his sense of disbelief when he arrived at the scene of the downed aircraft.

“There wasn’t a trace of an airplane,” he said. “There was only a crater where it made impact. I’m not a real emotional person, but I am saddened by the whole thing.”

http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:GbAKbBN6EhsJ:www.tribune-democrat.com/local/local_story_279235635.html/resources_printstory+%22David+Escherich%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=15&gl=us&client=firefox-a