"In times of change, the Patriot is a scarce man; brave, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a Patriot." -Mark Twain
The somber wake for Long Island firefighter James Ryan Sunday was filled with sadness and anger.
Upset that Ryan wasn’t given a line-of-duty funeral service, Ryan’s Engine Co. 320 organized an honor guard, bagpipes and transport vehicles on their own.
They said it was about respect for a hero who worked at the World Trade Center site for months after Sept. 11 and whose body gave in to the side-effects of pancreatic cancer on Christmas morning.
“I’m pretty bitter about it,” said Ryan’s brother, Michael, 50, of how his brother’s death is being handled by the city fire department.
The family, including widow Magda and three children, has no doubt Ryan’s death was related to 9/11.
“The doctors had no doubt,” Michael Ryan said. “The people who were there that day were victims. They didn’t hesitate. . . That’s what a real hero does.”
Fellow firefighters said Ryan deserved a line of duty funeral with all the bells, whistles and family benefits that usually come with it.
During an investigation, many things must be considered. Aside from the physical evidence, and witness testimony, suspect criminal history also must be analyzed. The investigation must include past history and the Modus Operandi, “M.O.” for short.
N.F.P.A. 921 19.4.8.2.6 – Extremism” addresses terrorism specifically. It reads: Extremism-motivated firesetting is committed to further a social, political, or religious cause. Fires have been used as a weapon of social protest since revolutions first began. Extremist firesetters may work in groups or as individuals. Also, due to planning aspects and the selection of their targets, extremist firesetters generally have a great degree of organization, as reflected in their use of more elaborate ignition or incendiary devices. Subcategories of extremist firesetting are identified as follows.
(a) Terrorism. The targets set by terrorists may appear to be at random; however, target locations are generally selected with some degree of political or economic significance. Political targets generally include government offices, newspapers, universities, political party headquarters, and military or law enforcement installations. Political terrorists may also target diverse properties such as animal research facilities or abortion clinics. Economic targets may include business offices, distribution facilities of utility providers, banks, or companies thought to have an adverse impact on the environments. Fires or explosions become a means of creation confusion fear, or anarchy. THE TERRORIST MAY INCLUDE FIRE AS BUT ONE OF A VARITETY OF WEAPONS, ALONG WITH EXPLOSIVES, USED IN FURTHERING HIS OR HER GOAL…
It very clearly states the Terrorist may use explosives along with fire to further their goal.
It would seem to be a “no-brainer” that a true investigation would test for the possibility that “the terrorist may (have) use(d) explosives along with fire to further their goal.”
There is no excuse for refusing to test for explosives.
WHY DOES NIST REFUSE TO TEST FOR EXPLOSIVES?
To this day NIST refuses to test for the possibility of explosives. “Considering” is NOT testing. Private parties have tested, and found evidence of explosives.
So, how does NIST explain their refusal to test for explosives? Here it is:
Questions and Answers about the NIST WTC 7 Investigation (Updated 04/21/2009) Did investigators consider the possibility that an explosion caused or contributed to the collapse of WTC 7?
Yes, this possibility was investigated carefully. NIST concluded that blast events inside the building did not occur and found no evidence supporting the existence of a blast event.
In addition, no blast sounds were heard on the audio tracks of video recordings during the collapse of WTC 7 or reported by witnesses. According to calculations by the investigation team, the smallest blast capable of failing the building’s critical column would have resulted in a sound level of 130 decibels (dB) to 140 dB at a distance of at least half a mile, if unobstructed by surrounding buildings. This sound level is consistent with a gunshot blast, standing next to a jet plane engine, and more than 10 times louder than being in front of the speakers at a rock concert.
For the building to have been prepared for intentional demolition, walls and/or column enclosures and fireproofing would have to be removed and replaced without being detected. Preparing a column includes steps such as cutting sections with torches, which produces noxious and odorous fumes. Intentional demolition usually requires applying explosive charges to most, if not all, interior columns, not just one or a limited set of columns in a building.”
NIST has made it very clear that two of the reasons they refuse to test for explosive residue are because 1) no blast sounds were heard, and 2) that they must be necessary for an explosion.
Ironically, the National Fire Protection Association’s guidebook disagrees with their logic on point 2. It is very clearly stated in Chapter 18 - Explosions, 18.1 - General: “…Although an explosion is almost always accompanied by the production of a loud noise, the noise itself is not an essential element in the definition of an explosion. The generation and violent escape of gases are the primary criteria of an explosion.”
And for their first statement that no blast sounds were recorded or heard by witnesses. We offer the following:
These are just a few of the over 100 witness accounts of explosions.
Now, let’s be clear. Explosion sounds can be explained away. But, only after a thorough investigation. When there is this much witness testimony, evidence, and explosive use by terrorists on this very same complex, there is no excuse for refusing to test for explosive residue.
Thanks to Stephanie Gaskell, New York Daily News Staff writer, we read of the above shocking news, which New York City and the US governments seemingly refuse to let sink into their thick heads and even thicker skin. Thousands of first responders are in dire health conditions, and consequently dire financial and familial conditions, due to illnesses contracted while working at Ground Zero following 9/11.
In this case Robert Grossman, a police office who worked at Ground Zero following 9/11, died of cancer on Friday, October 9. Family members and First Responder activists rightly blame their deaths on the incredible array of poisons released into the air after the explosions and subsequent pyroplastic collapse of the Twin Trade Towers and subsequently Tower Seven.
Stephen Grossman, whose son Robert died of cancer at the age of 44, commented that Everybody is denying that this stuff is connected to 9/11. And right he is. Robert Grossman was a police officer in Harlem who worked at Ground Zero for several weeks after 9/11. His father added, He never once said he was sorry he went down there. None of them walked away even though they all knew it was really dangerous.
The very day after Grossman passed, Firefighter Richard Mannetta, 44, died of cancer. The preceding Wednesday, 37-year old Police Office Cory Diaz died of cancer. Stephen Grossman pointed out, “Unfortunately, it’s just going to happen more and more.” He added that there are still many more first responders, in fact, thousands of them, who are sick.
Adding a tone of righteous irony, he said “This country just says, ‘That’s fine. We’ll just wait another 15 to 20 years and you’ll all be dead and we’ll all be sorry. This country is [or should be] better than that.”
In fact, in an article I’d written, 9/11’s second round of slaughter, I reviewed a documentary film Dust to Dust, by Heidi Dehncke-Fisher, that detailed with incredible accuracy, just what these first responders were up against.
Fellow Firefighters, A great tragedy befell our community on September 11, 2001, an unprecedented 343 deaths in the line of duty. As horrible as that toll is, if there were a rational explanation for it, we could accept it and mourn. We all understood the risk we accepted when we took the oath of office, that chance might cut short our lives when we placed ourselves in harm’s way in the public’s service. This is what we are paid for and it is our honor. However, in short, the official explanation of the events of that day are not only insufficient, they are fantastic and cannot bear rational examination. We are asked to believe that on that day three structural steel buildings, which have never before in history collapsed because of fire, fell neatly into their basements at the speed of gravity, their concrete reduced to dust. We are asked to believe that jet fuel (kerosene) can melt steel. We are asked to believe that the most sophisticated air defense system in the world, that responded to sixty-eight emergencies in the year prior to 9-11 in less than twenty minutes allowed aircraft to wander about for up to an hour and a half. We are asked to believe that the steel and titanium components of an aircraft that supposedly hit the Pentagon “evaporated”. There is much, much more if anyone cares to look into it. Trade Tower #7 by itself is the “smoking gun”. Not hit by an aircraft, with only a few relatively small fires, it came down in a classic crimp and implosion, going straight into its basement, something only very precise demolition can accomplish, which takes days if not weeks to prepare. The 9-11 Commission didn’t even mention it, and F.E.M.A. actually stated they DIDN’T KNOW WHY IT COLLAPSED AND LEFT IT AT THAT. Brothers, I know that the implications of the above are hard, almost unthinkable, but the official explanation is utter nonsense, and three hundred and forty three murdered brothers are crying out for justice. Demand a genuine investigation into the events of September 11!
Lt. Vodvarka served on FDNY Ladder Co 26, Rescue Co. 3, Rescue Co. 1, Engine Co. 92, Ladder 82 and Ladder 101. He was awarded the Merit Class 1 award, the Prentice Medal.
According to N.I.S.T. the 47 story WTC 7 suffered a complete collapse due to “thermal expansion” caused by isolated fires on 9 floors.
However, this 44 story Mandarin Oriental hotel burned out almost every floor on Feb 9, 2009 and still stands today. Why didn’t it collapse from “thermal expansion?” Why isn’t there molten steel and concrete like that found at the WTC?
NFPA 9.3.6 covers Spoliation of Evidence. Specifically, 9.3.6.7 reads as follows: “Once evidence has been removed from the scene, it should be maintained and not be destroyed or altered until others who have a reasonable interest in the matter have been notified. Any destructive testing or destructive examination of the evidence that may be necessary should occur only after all reasonably known parties have been notified in advance and given the opportunity to participate in or observe the testing.”
It would seem painfully obvious the very engineers and investigators that are tasked to determine the cause of collapse would be “reasonably known parties” and would find it very helpful to “participate in or observe the testing” in order to aid in their investigation.
Since when do we destroy evidence before we identify the cause of collapse? We don’t solve crimes, or get safer buildings by destroying evidence, and then hypothesize the cause. There is nowhere in the NFPA guidelines, or any investigation guidelines that we have found that call for the destruction of evidence, and then the investigation.
We often hear people say it was about the money in the recycled steel. We haven’t been able to find one other example of a mass murder, and engineering catastrophe where the evidence was destroyed prior to determining cause, for the money. Don’t accept that excuse. Willful destruction of evidence before an investigation completion is only done to hinder the investigation or hide the truth!
Glenn Corbett, Professor of Fire Sciences, discusses the destruction of evidence.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
We believe TOWER 7 is the crux of the entire investigation. There was no official report as to how a 47 story concrete and steel high rise, that was not struck by an airplane, collapsed at near free-fall speed into it’s own footprint. That is until this week (8/21/08) - Almost 7 years later after unrelenting public pressure.
On Thursday, NIST released the following: “Our study found that the fires in WTC 7, which were uncontrolled but otherwise similar to fires experienced in other tall buildings, caused an extraordinary event,” said NIST WTC Lead Investigator Shyam Sunder. “Heating of floor beams and girders caused a critical support column to fail, initiating a fire-induced progressive collapse that brought the building down.”
“Video and photographic evidence combined with detailed computer simulations show that neither explosives nor fuel oil fires played a role in the collapse of WTC 7,” Sunder said.
“Did investigators consider the possibility that an explosion caused or contributed to the collapse of WTC 7?
Yes, this possibility was investigated carefully. NIST concluded that blast events inside the building did not occur and found no evidence supporting the existence of a blast event.
In addition, no blast sounds were heard on the audio tracks of video recordings during the collapse of WTC 7 or reported by witnesses. According to calculations by the investigation team, the smallest blast capable of failing the building’s critical column would have resulted in a sound level of 130 decibels (dB) to 140 dB at a distance of at least half a mile, if unobstructed by surrounding buildings. This sound level is consistent with a gunshot blast, standing next to a jet plane engine, and more than 10 times louder than being in front of the speakers at a rock concert.
For the building to have been prepared for intentional demolition, walls and/or column enclosures and fireproofing would have to be removed and replaced without being detected. Preparing a column includes steps such as cutting sections with torches, which produces noxious and odorous fumes. Intentional demolition usually requires applying explosive charges to most, if not all, interior columns, not just one or a limited set of columns in a building.”
Now, do we have this straight. They investigated it. Although, they self admit they didn’t chemically test for residue. So, they are going off witness testimony, video, photographic, and audio evidence, of which they found none that had blast sounds or indicators. They also used computer models. And, lastly, they admit they did no further investigation for possible explosive charges because….it would have been hard to plant them?!? Did we read that right? So, with that logic, we no longer have to investigate any crime that would havebeen hard for someone to commit from here on out? Is this what we are going to stand for?
Quick, somebody call NIST! We have another “extraordinary event”…we found some evidence! Dr. Steven Jones already did the chemical analysis for them, and tested it in multiple labs. And, we have found the audio evidence and witness testimony that can clear up any doubts as to whether any blast sounds were heard by anyone. Also, look at the video above and see if it looks at all similar to a controlled demolition. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to find any evidence, videos, pictures, or history of another high rise structural steel building collapsing due to fire.
So, you have to decide. Are you going to take a goverment agency’s report (one that has pathetically drug it’s feet, self-admittedly refused to test for residue, and ignored obvious “blast sound” evidence) as the final word? As NIST says, are you going to put all these “conspiracy theories to bed?” Or, are you going to take action and demand the real investigation our Brothers deserve!
If you’re still not convinced there’s more to it than we’re being told, then ask yourself: if Tower 7 did come down due to fire, why didn’t Tower 5? Tower 5 was much closer, had devastating structural damage from the Twin Tower collapses, and much more severe fires burning. But, it remained standing. So, did Tower 3,4, and 6. Look below. Do your own size-up. Our lives depend on the ability to guage when a building will collapse - test your skills.
Notice how we have a complete, multiple floor conflagration along with signifcant structural damage.
Tower 3 was closer to Twin Towers than WTC 7, and it had significantly more crush damage. But, building is still standing.
Tower 4 - Again, closer and more crush damage. Obvious significant core damage, but building is still standing.
Tower 6 - Again, closer than 7, and obvious massive core damage. But, building is still standing.
You decide, are you going to blindly believe what a government investigation team that refuses to test for explosives residue claims? Just because it would have been logistically difficult to place explosive charges, we don’t test for them? Look for yourself. Review the NFPA 921 guidelines-why did they so blatantly destroy evidence and refuse to test for exotic accelerants? Look at the video examples. You decide, does it appear to have every characteristic of a controlled demolition? How about when you compare it to all the other high-rise infernos we have examples of…all of which are still standing today! And, most importantly - don’t our fallen Brothers deserve the Truth?
Barry Jennings was Deputy Director, Emergency Services Department, New York City Housing Authority. He was inside Tower 7 when the second plane had struck tower 2. He very clearly states he heard multiple explosions well before the collapse of Tower 7, and he barely made it out due to these exlosions.
Listen very carefully to his timeline:
Here is his account on ABC moments after the incident - when it is most clear to anybody what they heard. Now, NIST says they have no witness accounts of “explosions”, maybe we can refer them to these videos.
Here’s another video NIST investigators should review.
Again, we are not saying this cannot be explained away. We ARE challenging NIST as to their claim of NO EVIDENCE of a blast event. We don’t solve crimes or building collapses by debating hypotheticals. We solve them by applying the Scientific method, testing for all possible causes, and thoroughly analyzing the structure, debris, dust, witness accounts, testimony, and documents. Again, you have to ask yourself why are they afraid to test for exotic accelerant residue?
In addition, no blast sounds were heard on the audio tracks of video recordings during the collapse of WTC 7 or reported by witnesses. According to calculations by the investigation team, the smallest blast capable of failing the building’s critical column would have resulted in a sound level of 130 decibels (dB) to 140 dB at a distance of at least half a mile, if unobstructed by surrounding buildings. This sound level is consistent with a gunshot blast, standing next to a jet plane engine, and more than 10 times louder than being in front of the speakers at a rock concert.”
Still don’t believe there’s ANY evidence of BLAST SOUND?
How about radio transmissions and testimony from FDNY members themselves.
