9/11 – A EMT survivor’s story of resilience
Program Titles
- Ground Zero 9/11
- Reinventing yourself after trauma & tragedy
- Over coming adversity
- Empowerment & Growth
Reggie Cervantes: Trained emergency medical technician and EMT, rushed to Ground Zero on September 11th (9/11).
Regina Cervantes was transported by the New York Fire Department to Shea Stadium, where she organized the medical component of the staging. Then, she was transported on the first team to Ground Zero.
She re-staged triage and treated rescue workers and injured people at the scene until after 9:00 P.M. that evening.
I went home and returned on the 13th and then on the 14th, … by that time, her airway was so burned she could barely speak. Regina sought medical care on that Saturday, and she struggled ever since to catch her breath when she walks, and has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, gastro-esophageal re-flux disease, chronic asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic attacks.
On the 13th, she received a hard hat on the West Side pier before going in, but she had never owned a hard hat before.
Regina had her jump bag and home gear when she left on the 11th. She also had a dust mask and wore that for a few hours earlier on 9/11, but other than that, when it was too wet from the moisture from breathing and too clogged on the other side from the dust, she had to discard it.
Then, it was just a matter of continuously inhaling and gasping. And when you opened your mouth, you ingested the dust and the smoke.
As a volunteer emergency medical technician, Regina fell outside the organized Fire Department or EMS realm.
As volunteers, we’ve been on our own ever since.
She is a 9/11 EMT survivor. Regina’s message is empowerment and growth”: “We are not a product of our circumstances, but they mold us.”
She has been featured internationally in news articles, magazines, news clips, and documentaries …” Reggie is dedicated, motivated, energetic, and easy to interact with on any level.” Reggie is a true professional, an articulate orator who” Held our audience’s attention.”
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