10 Years Gone: Former Naperville Firefighter Chuck Wehrli Remembers 9/11

As a member of the Naperville Fire Department and Missouri Task Force One, a FEMA search and rescue team, the most serious events Chuck Wehrli responded to were the Plainfield tornado or refinery explosions in Lemont.

But, that was before Sept. 11, 2001.

When 9/11 happened, the Naperville resident was immediately mobilized with Missouri Task Force One to respond and help with search and rescue in New York City. Now retired, Wehrli was assigned as a safety officer and with other first responders, flew in a C-130—one of seven planes allowed to fly after the attack—heading for Ground Zero.

As he travelled to Ground Zero, Wehrli said he didn’t know what was going on. He and the other responders were traveling and had no access to TV.

“We anticipated saving lives," Wehrli said. "Unfortunately when we got there, there were no live victims."

Once on the scene, the team started searching voids using search cameras and dogs. He was in New York City for 10 days, he said.

“[It was] very overwhelming," Wehrli said. "I said many times, it was like a movie set, you just couldn’t imagine that destruction from those two buildings, there wasn’t a whole lot besides lots of pieces of steel, smashed up fire trucks and squad cars. You just don’t expect to see things like that, but we had a job to do."

After 9/11, Wehrli said his perspective on life shifted.

“I think the biggest thing, I tell myself, I try not to worry about little things anymore,” he said. “Because a lot of people died just going to work. … Some people worry about a lot of things. After that, I kind of think it's not that big of a deal.”

Since 9/11, more than 1,000 first responders who were on the scene within the days after the attacks have died. Some of Wehrli's friends have succumbed to illnesses, and he must regularly complete a health evaluation.

Despite the devastation that 9/11 caused, there have been positive things to come from the event, he said.

Wehrli said he formed lasting relationships with other first responders from around the country. One of those friends, a New York City police officer, helped Wehrli procure the I-Beam, which now rests at the Cmdr. Dan Shanower – Sept. 11 Memorial.

Wehrli also speaks at schools, like , talking about his experience, he said, “just to remind the next generation to never forget what was done.”

As a member of the 9/11 Committee, Wehrli helps plan the event that takes place every year at the memorial near the municipal center. The event will take place at 1 p.m. on Sept. 11 this year and because the is up to badge 343 —the number of firefighters that died in 9/11 —that badge will be retired during the event, Wehrli said.

From a safety perspective, he said Illinois is in better shape to respond to an urban crisis. The state has created its own Urban Search and Rescue team and organized with 32 other states. Now there are 32 urban search and rescue teams available to respond along with the 28 federal teams.

Wehrli sits on the board of directors for the State Urban Search and Rescue Alliance, which started informally with discussion between task force leaders from several states, including South Carolina, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Illinois. The group provides education, research and information to benefit communities served by urban search and rescue teams.

“We are a lot better prepared today than we were 10 years ago," he said.