Short answer:343 FDNY firefighters died on September 11, 2001, when the World Trade Center towers collapsed — the single largest loss of life for any fire department in history. Including a New York Fire Patrol officer often called the "344th," a total of 441 first responders died that day across the FDNY, NYPD, and Port Authority Police Department. In the years since, more than 430 additional FDNY members have died from 9/11-related illnesses, a toll that continues to climb every year.
Every September, as the anniversary of the September 11 attacks approaches, one of the most-asked questions in the fire service community is simply: how many firefighters died that day? The number — 343 — has become one of the most recognized figures in American firefighting, worn on helmets and painted on apparatus at departments across the country. Here's the full picture, including who they were, how the number is counted, and the ongoing toll from Ground Zero-related illness.
In this article:
The 343: How the Number Is Counted
On the morning of September 11, 2001, firefighters from the New York City Fire Department responded within minutes of the first plane striking the North Tower of the World Trade Center. As both towers eventually collapsed, 343 FDNY members were killed — most while inside the towers attempting to evacuate civilians and fellow first responders, or when the structures came down. They came from 75 different firehouses across all five boroughs of New York City, making it the largest loss of life for any single emergency response agency in recorded history.
The "344th": Keith Roma and the Fire Patrol
The commonly cited 343 figure counts only FDNY members. It does not include Keith Roma, a firefighter with the New York Fire Patrol (NYFP) — a smaller, separate organization funded by insurance companies that specialized in protecting property inside burning buildings rather than fighting the fire itself. Roma died in the South Tower collapse while helping evacuate civilians, and many in the fire service consider him the "344th" firefighter lost that day, even though he technically wasn't an FDNY member and isn't included in official FDNY statistics.
Total First Responder Deaths on 9/11
Firefighters were not the only emergency personnel lost that day. Across all agencies responding in New York City, a total of 441 first responders died on September 11, 2001:
| Agency | Personnel killed |
|---|---|
| FDNY (New York City Fire Department) | 343 firefighters |
| Port Authority Police Department (PAPD) | 37 officers |
| New York City Police Department (NYPD) | 23 officers |
| Paramedics/EMTs (public & private agencies) | 8 personnel |
This total does not include the 2,977 civilian victims killed across the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The one female FDNY member to die that day was EMS Lieutenant Paramedic Yamel Merino, working with a private EMS provider contracted to the city.
FDNY Leadership Lost That Day
Among the 343, the FDNY lost several of its most senior leaders, including Chief of Department Peter Ganci Jr., the highest-ranking uniformed officer in the department, and Fire Department Chaplain Father Mychal Judge, whose death certificate (Victim 0001) is officially recorded as the first certified fatality of the attacks. Numerous other chiefs, battalion commanders, and company officers were also lost, representing a devastating loss of institutional leadership and experience for the department.
The Ongoing Toll From 9/11-Related Illness
The death toll didn't stop in 2001. As of the most recent FDNY World Trade Center Memorial Wall update in 2026, 438 fire and EMS members have now died from 9/11-related illnesses — cancers, respiratory diseases, and other conditions linked to toxic dust exposure during rescue and recovery work at Ground Zero — a toll that has risen to nearly match the number killed on the day itself, and continues to grow each year as more names are added.
Thousands of FDNY members who worked at Ground Zero in the weeks and months after the attacks have since been diagnosed with elevated rates of certain cancers, respiratory illness, and other conditions tied to the toxic dust and debris. The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act funds ongoing medical monitoring and treatment for eligible responders, and advocacy from FDNY unions continues to push for expanded and permanent funding as the illness toll continues to climb decades later.
How the Fire Service Honors the 343
The number "343" has become a permanent symbol within American firefighting, displayed on helmets, apparatus, station walls, and memorials at departments across the country, far beyond New York City. Every September 11, fire departments and individuals nationwide participate in memorial stair climbs — commonly 110 flights, matching the height of the Twin Towers — with each climber carrying the name and photo of one of the fallen. The FDNY holds its own memorial ceremony each year, and the World Trade Center Memorial Wall at FDNY headquarters in Brooklyn continues to add names as members are lost to 9/11-related illness.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many firefighters died on 9/11?
343 FDNY firefighters died on September 11, 2001. Including a New York Fire Patrol officer often called the "344th," the total is sometimes cited as 344.
How many total first responders died on 9/11?
441 first responders died that day: 343 FDNY firefighters, 37 Port Authority Police officers, 23 NYPD officers, and 8 paramedics/EMTs.
Why is Keith Roma sometimes called the "344th" firefighter?
Roma was a member of the New York Fire Patrol, a separate insurance-funded organization, not the FDNY. He died helping evacuate civilians in the South Tower, and many in the fire service honor him alongside the 343 even though official FDNY statistics don't include him.
How many firefighters have died since 9/11 from related illnesses?
As of the most recent FDNY memorial wall update in 2026, 438 fire and EMS members have died from 9/11-related illnesses, a number that continues to climb each year and has nearly matched the 343 killed on the day of the attacks.
Which FDNY leaders died on 9/11?
FDNY Chief of Department Peter Ganci Jr., the department's highest-ranking uniformed officer, and Fire Department Chaplain Father Mychal Judge were both among the 343 killed, along with numerous other chiefs and company officers.
Never forget. 343 firefighters answered the call on September 11, 2001, and did not come home. Their sacrifice, and the ongoing toll among those who worked at Ground Zero in the years since, remains one of the defining chapters in the history of the American fire service.
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