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Thousands of active and retired firefighters responded to the alarm and 343 members of the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) perished in the collapse of the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001. Friends of Firefighters was born within days of this catastrophic event through the performance of several unobtrusive acts of kindness offered by the local community. These ranged from making dinners for exhausted rescue workers, to coordinating and facilitating "behind the scenes" in a variety of ways for funerals and memorials, to sitting and listening to firefighters talk over a cup of coffee. Because of our discreet approach, FoF proven to be a responsive channel to the deeper needs of the firefighting community, as many firefighters reach out to our staff for assistance in finding mental health or other needed resources. Friends of Firefighters has grown from a small group of volunteers dropping by firehouses to offer relief, to an established and respected organization developing strategies to serve the New York City firefighting community.
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