Local firefighter leaned on his faith as rescue worker at ground zero

In the days after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, President George Bush met with members of the rescue teams who searched for survivors. Indianapolis firefighter Tim Baughman stands to the left of the president. (Submitted photo)

By John Shaughnessy

Ten years have passed, but the images remain vivid for Tim Baughman as he recalls the 11 days he spent as a rescue worker at ground zero in New York, the site of the collapsed ruins of the World Trade Center from the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

“I come from a family of strong faith,” said Baughman, a husband, father of three and member of Holy Spirit Parish in Indianapolis. “There were a few times when I was there when I leaned on my faith pretty hard.”

Within hours of the attacks, the veteran firefighter boarded a bus in Indianapolis and headed east, part of Indiana Task Force One, the first Federal Emergency Management Agency team to arrive in New York.

“We got in the next morning after the attacks,” recalled Baughman, a division chief of planning for the Indianapolis Fire Department. “The sun was just coming up, and we could see the smoke from Manhattan from the towers. The buses took us right up to the command post. There was so much dust and dirt.”

Baughman paused for a moment. Then he spoke in a reverent hush as he continued.

“Firefighters were on the side of the area covered in dust and dirt with their heads down. It was sad. As we got off the bus, people were handing us pictures of their family members, asking if we could help find them. It was tough.”

The most difficult moment was still ahead. It came during one of the 12-hour night shifts during which Baughman served as the safety officer for a rescue team that searched 11 nights for possible survivors.

“One night, we went down below, under ground zero, at the bottom of the towers. There was a mall and an office area down there. Everything around us moaned and groaned. We didn’t find anyone alive. From time to time, we did find parts of remains. Whenever someone did, people would stop and have a funeral march.”

After that eerie night, Baughman made phone calls to his family, including his mother, Patricia (Lawless) Baughman.

“My mom is really involved with the Catholic Church,” Baughman said. “I’m one of 12 kids. My dad died when I was 11. She leaned on the Church when we were down and out, and the Church always came through for us. When I called her that morning, she said she was in the church lighting candles and praying several hours for me. She said, ‘I could feel you were doing something and you needed help.’ ”

Ten years later, Baughman thinks about how the events of Sept. 11, 2001, still affect his country. He also feels blessed that the United States hasn’t been attacked again.

He shares another point from his 25 years of serving his community as a firefighter.

“So many of the police officers and firefighters are Catholic,” he said. “In the Catholic faith, we’re taught to serve the Lord and serve each other. It’s part of who we are and the work we do.” †