Orio Palmer: Final radio messages from 9/11 firefighter resurface

As the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks approaches, the final radio transmissions of FDNY Battalion Chief Orio Palmer have resurfaced. Palmer, 45, was among the first responders to the World Trade Center.

After arriving at the South Tower, Palmer worked to restore critical radio and repeater links damaged by the initial impact. Once communications were functional, he and his team used an elevator to reach the 40th floor before continuing the ascent on foot, carrying approximately 50 pounds of gear. During the climb, Palmer radioed that they would have to “hoof it” and noted his position on the 69th floor.

On the 75th floor, Palmer encountered Fire Marshal Ron Bucca, who had climbed the flights under his own power. Palmer eventually reached the 78th floor of the South Tower, where he reported seeing “two isolated pockets of fire” and noted the presence of “numerous 10-45 Code 1s,” the FDNY code for civilian fatalities. Seven minutes after his final report, the South Tower collapsed, killing Palmer, Bucca, and their team.