A Tribute 4A Tribute 4

Shortly after the first twin tower collapsed, chief William Schmitz, director of public safety for Manhattan Community College, heard on his scanner that three staffers were trapped in a basement, where dust and debris were so thick they'd caused blackout conditions. Three of his men rushed in and pulled the others to safety. "I started to call and say, 'don't go,' but this is what they're supposed to do," Schmitz says.

The college became a command center for the city. At one point, nearly two dozen firemen fought their way through a turbulent dust cloud to the campus. Schmitz says he'll never forget what he saw in their eyes. It wasn't fear. "It was the definition of disbelief."