How Actor Steve Buscemi Helped Search For Survivors On 9/11

UPDATED 9/11/2026

23 years ago, on 9/11/2001, tragedy struck on U.S. soil. The World Trade Center towers became the target of terrorism, and as a result, it claimed thousands of lives. This includes both innocent civilians and first responders. One of those first responders who helped to search for survivors during the aftermath was actor Steve Buscemi.

Buscemi worked 12-hour shifts along with other firefighters that day, searching for anyone who could possibly still be alive underneath all that rubble and debris. Buscemi had taken the FDNY civil service test when he was 18 and would work as an FDNY firefighter in downtown Manhattan in the ’80s. Now, in 2001, he was returning to his old stomping grounds.

Steve Buscemi was a NY firefighter in the ’80s

Buscemi would later leave the services to pursue acting, but he never strayed away from engaging in New York firefighter causes. At the time, during the efforts of the rescue, he said: “It was a privilege to be able to do it. It was great to connect with the firehouse I used to work with and with some of the guys I worked alongside. And it was enormously helpful for me because while I was working, I didn’t really think about it as much, feel it as much.”

RELATED: How Passengers Aboard United Flight 93 Fought Back On 9/11

Back in 2013, the Brotherhood of Fire Facebook page went on to remind everyone of Buscemi’s efforts and contributions during that time. “Do you recognise this man? Do you know his name? Lots of people know he’s an actor, and that his name is Steve Buscemi. What very few people realise is that he was once one of New York’s Bravest,” the post says of Buscemi.

There are little to no photos of Buscemi during this time because he did not want the publicity

“I was only there for like five days, but when I stopped going and tried to just live my life again, it was really, really hard,” Buscemi says about going back to civilian life following the tragic events that took place. “There are times when I talk about 9/11 and I’m right back there,” he adds. “I start to get choked up and I realize, ‘Ah, this is still a big part of me.’”

The experience also strengthened Buscemi’s commitment to supporting fellow firefighters long after the recovery effort ended. He has worked with Friends of Firefighters, an organization that provides mental health and wellness services to active and retired FDNY firefighters and their families. Buscemi has spoken openly about how difficult it can be for first responders to seek help, particularly when they feel someone else has suffered more than they have. CBS News reported that he has devoted years to advocating for those still living with the physical and emotional effects of 9/11.

His connection to the FDNY has remained a significant part of his life beyond September 11. In 2014, Buscemi produced and appeared in the HBO documentary A Good Job: Stories of the FDNY, which explored the lives and experiences of New York City firefighters. As the nation marks 25 years since the attacks, the long-term toll remains painfully present: the FDNY continues to document illnesses and other lasting effects among those who took part in the rescue and recovery effort at the World Trade Center.

During the 9/11 terror attacks, 343 firefighters gave their lives protecting and rescuing others. Rest in peace to all the lives lost on that tragic day.