Spring 2002

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Alumnus Bill Dudley was part of the emergency assistance effort at “Ground Zero” following the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11.

Dudley was deployed to the site the afternoon of Sept. 11 as part of a New Jersey Federal Disaster Medical Assistant Team (DMAT).  Dudley’s team established one of the temporary morgues near the World Trade Center site.  The DMAT teams are part of the National Disaster Medical System.  He serves as a health technician (EMT) and a logistics specialist. 

Initially, Dudley’s group expected to be on a medical mission treating casualties from the trade center site.  “Inasmuch as we are a medical team, we did not have a medical mission Sept. 11,” Dudley, a 1965 electrical engineering graduate, recalled.  “We were called to ground zero to assist in establishing one of the temporary morgues because of our tents, lighting, water systems and other equipment we carry.” 

The team’s mission focused on erecting two 20’ x 35’ tents.  The setup included a water system with sinks, a diesel generator, lighting and fans.  “Our biggest challenge was finding an adequate location to erect our tents and equipment in the midst of the debris and thick dust,” Dudley said.  “We maintained 12-hour shifts around-the-clock for nearly a week.” 

 “This temporary morgue was to receive remains as they were found and attempt to identify whether they were fire, police, EMS or civilian personnel,” Dudley explained.  “Each set of remains was logged into a database as to all pertinent information, including where found at the site and any other clues as to the identity of the individual.” 

“Whenever a firefighter, police officer or EMS person was brought to the morgue, there was intense reverence displayed by fellow brothers in their service,” Dudley said.  “The first night I was there on the 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. shift,…a fireman was driving an all-terrain vehicle with a body bag on the back and there were seven or eight firemen on each side as an honor guard.  I was really choked up when I saw this as I have been a fireman for more than 35 years.” 

Dudley’s account of his service is full of such scenes and recollections of kindness and generosity of the citizens of New York City.  He returned home on Sept. 21. 

Update on Pentagon attack 

In the last edition of Echoes, we reported on Rose-Hulman alumni in the Pentagon during the terrorist attack on Sept. 11.  We have learned that another alumnus was in the classroom that contained a group from the Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center in southern Indiana.  A fifth alumnus present was Eric Scheid, a 1998 mechanical engineering graduate.