Fire Response

Note the 33's:

When did Fort Meyer Fire Department (FMFD) Unit 161, and Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority (MWAA) Unit 331, arrive at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, and why does it matter?

National Airport's aircraft rescue firefighters (ARFF) foam units "knocked down the bulk of the fire in the first seven minutes after their arrival," said Captain Michael Defina, who was the shift commander that day at Reagon National Airport (National Fire Protection Association Journal, November 1, 2001 - original removed, but available elsewhere).

Captain Defina, who had been at the site of a motor vehicle accident, arrived at the Pentagon "two to three minutes" after he "saw a smoke plume arise" from the Pentagon.

"Captain Defina drove onto the heliport and directed Foam Unit 331 to set up there, where Fort Myer Unit 161 had established a hydrant water supply. The only other firefighting apparatus he saw on the west side was Arlington County's Engine and Truck 105 on the far north end. Their crews went into the building to conduct search and rescue." FMFD Unit 161

From the photo and diagram above, it appears that the crew of Engine 161 are seen entering the Pentagon's heliport side entrance (shown in the diagram at bottom center). Engine 161 is just left of the entrance. The gap in the Pentagon wall after the collapse of its roof would be on the right - just off the photo.

"While Foam Unit 331 hit the fire with foam from its roof and bumper turrets, Unit 335's four-person crew used hand lines in an attempt to control the fires".