Stories of 'Everyday Heroes' remembered

Real Estate Weekly, Sept 11, 2002

Narrated by Guardian Angel president and founder Curtis Sliwa, the untold story of how building employees at Ground Zero saved thousands of lives and billions in real estate on Sept. 11 is brought to the screen in the feature-length documentary, "Everyday Heroes."

As Sliwa emphatically states in the opening, "while the police and firefighters fought with their lives to battle the blazing fires at the World Trade Center, the rest of Ground Zero was in the hands of the building workers. It is time for the story of these other heroes to be told."

The documentary debuts on Sept 12 at the BOMA/NY September luncheon, bringing to a close three intensive months of filming more than 40 interviews covering the tumult and terror of 9-11, the ensuing clean-up effort and the new spirit of 9-11 that persevered when the towers were down, but New York was not.

Act I "9-11-01" weaves together never-before-seen footage from inside the buildings under attacks, as well as photos cataloguing the damage, in a chronicle of the emergency actions taken by quick-thinking building staff at One Liberty Plaza, 111/115 Broadway, Deutsche Bank Headquarters, 90 West St, the World Financial Center and the World Trade Center.

* Act II, "The Day After," recounts the rebuilding and unprecedented teamwork among the building community to bring the Winter Garden, One Liberty Plaza and others back to life.

* Act III, "The First Line of Defense" focuses on post-9-11 security changes, the value of training and in a moving account from a former World Trade Center engineer, how "training" did, indeed, literally save thousands of lives. Among the harrowing first person accounts are those of building engineers and security directors who evacuated more than 100,000 in blinding smoke and dust, or performed first aid on fleeing tenants at peril of their own lives; and staff that stayed behind that night, working through the darkness to ensure the buildings were safe. Tributes are also paid to the NYPD, FDNY and EMS in evocative, photojournalistic montages.

* Act IV "Stronger Than Ever" features such industry leaders as Insignia/ESG, Inc. chairman and CEO Stephen B. Siegel and Brookfield Financial Properties, Inc.'s president Ric Clark, who speak out on the future of New York. And management professionals John T. Griffin, CPM project executive, 300 Madison, CIBC; Gerard V. Schumm, RPA, vice president/NorthEast Region, Trizec Hahn Office Properties; Edward M. Fallon, RPA, director of New York operations, Brookfleld Financial Properties, Inc. and Anthony S. Lifrieri, RPA, president BOMA/Middle Atlantic Conference, sham their thoughts in a closing scene that shows why the skyline is worth defending with "the greatest job in the world."

Based on a story concept suggested by Fallon and Lifrieri, the documentary was created by a production team headed by Cheryl Mitchell of Mitchell & Associates as producer and Richard Duffy of 3D Television Services as director. According to Mitchell who serves as marketing counsel to BOMA/NY, "the initial goal of creating a record for historical or archival purposes soon expanded as we began inter viewing the building staffs at Ground Zero and realized the enormity of what they had accomplished. Despite hellish circumstances which would test the toughest member of the armed services, these men and women performed incredibly. Many of them not only performed the usual building life safety services but put themselves in harm's way to pull the wounded out of the wreckage and render first aid. Yet they insisted they had no great thing.

We named them silent soldiers, and so the film also became not just a tribute, but a celebration of the men arid women who run the buildings of New York. We are very lucky to-literally--be in their hands. There was also an enormous feeling of dedication and love of their buildings and the city; we added that to the mix so that the documentary could serve as an inspirational purpose, as well."

Duffy, who has spent two decades in commercial television production, including CNN and The Food Network, cites the "composure" of those being interviewed as "extraordinary. It is no easy thing being interviewed on camera--even the professionals struggle with it But these everyday heroes sat down, told their stories and did not miss a beat."

Supported by donations from more than 20 companies across the industry, and BOMA/NY, whose board of directors endorsed the project, the film sheds new light on the critical role the building staff plays in securing the working public's safety.

Before the uniformed services arrive on the scene, it is the building staff that protects the tenants, and this was never more in evidence than on 9-l1, explains Sliwa, underscoring a position that is increasingly being recognized nationwide.

The Tower Level sponsors are BOMA/NY, Brookfield Financial Properties, Inc.; Cushman & Wakefield, Inc.; Mulligan Security Corp., Inc.; and Turner Construction Company.

The Foundation Level sponsors are Hillman Environmental Group, LLC and PAL Environmental Safety Group.