New York City transit workers are making sure their contributions to rescue and aid during 9/11 aren’t forgotten.
Anthony Tousius remembers the weeks he spent at ground zero after the attacks.
“The first couple of days were pretty crazy because there was a lot of doubt. Nobody knew exactly what was going on,” said Tousius, who is a member of TWU Local 100. “I'm driving on the Gowanus and I can hear fire jets above me."
He and other members of the local transit worker’s union are passionate when they talk about 9/11 because of how many people needed their services. The union has tried to recognize its workers for their contributions hand out 100 medals for the members with 9/11-related health issues.
For them, this wasn’t enough, and they started a petition to join the 9/11 Memorial Museum to further commemorate their contribution to the aftermath of the attacks.
Union members met with museum curators and executives, and in a statement a museum spokesperson wrote: "...our curatorial department is working directly with TWU staff and representatives to identify artifacts, photos, and oral histories that may assist us in chronicling the story of the vital work Transit workers undertook in the days and months after the attacks..."
Museum staff is working with the union to develop educational resources, professional programs, and a place for the story of transit workers in the collection.