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17 pped New Yorkers maritime community" By Alison Bate an American." Other companies at the scene in- cluded Donjon Marine, K-Sea Trans- portation, Buchanan Marine, Roehrig Transportation, Dann Towing, Ken's Marine Service, Leevac Marine, the tug Vulcan, and the New Jersey fishing boat Captain John. Spill response vessels involved in- cluded Miller's, the NRC Guardian, and the New Jersey Responder. Peterson said everyone was willing to help - whatever the role. There were and everyone rushed to the waterfront. "We had 250 people there within five minutes," said Peterson. The boats were also used to deliver hot meals to rescue workers. McDonald's gave over 2,000 ham- USCG photo by Petty officer Mike Hvozda Tugboats from New York harbor rush to Battery Park, at the southern tip of Manhattan to evacuate New Yorkers. burgers and french fries and the Outback Steak House began making hamburgers on the dock. "We basically made a tent city right at the south wall," said Peterson. On Friday, the military moved in and the atmosphere changed. Only official rescue workers were allowed into the security zone. The tired teams of vessel op- erators were finally relieved by the U.S.C.G. at 2100 hours Friday night. Their duties were taken over by the Army Corps of Engi- neers, New York and New Jer- sey State Police and New York City fireboats. VIEW FROM THE USCG At Vessel Traffic Services New York, junior grade Lt. Bob Post had been on duty for about three hours when the first plane hit the north tower. The USCG has cameras throughout the port, so they focussed in on the building. When the second plane The tugboat Kathleen Turecamo rescues people from lower Manhattan. no toilet facilities on the island, and the New Jersey Responder became the main "head" boat, until porta-potties arrived. He said just knowing the boats were out on the water was a source of comfort to many relief workers. On Thursday, 11 tugboats were kept busy when part of a building collapsed crashed, officers realized this wasn't just an accident. The U.S.C.G. started closing the portand began setting up a security zone over the Battery and Statue of Liberty. Search and rescue units were called out and the cutters Katherine Walker and Hawser headed for the lower Manhattan area. "It was pretty hectic at the begin- ning," said Post, based on Staten Island. Four USCG officers went on board the pilot boat New York to help coordi- nate activities, among them Lt. Day. Day had worked at the New York Port Authority offices in the World Trade Center for six months, so the at- tacks were very much a personal issue for him. "I found it very cathartic to be part of that relief effort," he said. As time went on, the main relief effort involved getting not just people but supplies back and forth across the water. "It was incredible what was accom- plished," Day added. When fire trucks started running out of fuel, they used fuel from the tugs to keep the trucks going. On Thursday, welders sorting through the debris were running low on acetylene for their cutting torches. New Jersey was called, and bottles started coming over again - all by water. When there were problems distribut- ing food to rescue workers, someone in the maritime community called John Deere's directly. Shortly afterward, ten ATVs (all- terrain vehicles) were being escorted by police across two states to lower Manhattan. At the time of this writing, trucks and barges continue the daunting task of moving mountains of debris. Weeks Ma- rine is carrying out emergency dredging to create a channel to allow sanitation barges access to the devastated areas. The mass evacuation may be over, but the vessel operators are unlikely to forget that memorable week. As Reinauer's Ken Peterson said: "We're glad we were all able to help." www.cargobusinessnews.com September 2011 S REPRINT FROM THE OCTOBER 2001 ISSUE OF MARINE DIGEST Photo by Jim Sweeney, Penn Maritime