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American Morning

A Probie's Life

Aired December 23, 2003 - 08:23   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Jorge Pena was what's known as a probie, a probationary firefighter with New York City's Fire Department. He was among those who signed up after hundreds from the Department were killed on 9/11. But then, half way through his training, he was called to serve in Iraq.
This morning, in part two of our three part series of A Probie's Life, we hear Pena's thoughts about going off to war and about saving lives at home.

Here's CNN's Deborah Feyerick.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A sign at the Fire Academy says, "Let no man's ghost say his training let him down."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ten-four.

FEYERICK: As a probationary firefighter, or probie, Jorge Pena spent his first weeks learning what he had to and the inevitable. All of this while becoming what Pena calls part of the brotherhood.

JORGE PENA, PROBATIONARY FIREFIGHTER: You look right behind you, you know, somebody's going to catch you if you fall, you know? It's just that type of feeling.

FEYERICK: Then came the Iraq war. Pena, a Marine reservist, was called to fight, 2nd Battalion, 25th Marines, some combat, but mostly intelligence.

(on camera): When you were over in Iraq, did you feel that you were -- did you feel a direct connection to the fire department?

PENA: Yes, personally, I would say for me, you know, pay back of what happened to us.

FEYERICK (voice-over): When he returned to New York, Pena brought a flag signed by his battalion.

NICHOLAS SANTANGELO, CHIEF OF BATTALION: Well, he really exhibited, you know, the heart and the attitude, the perseverance, the selflessness. That's what it takes to do extraordinary things.

FEYERICK (on camera): How do you think the training at the fire academy different than in the military? PENA: A different agenda. I mean you're teaching one thing. You know, in the Marines they teach you how to kill; here they teach you how to put out fires. You know, it's just two different things.

FEYERICK: Yes.

PENA: But the same intensity.

FEYERICK (voice-over): Since 9/11, there's been a bigger focus on training for biological or chemical events. Everyone caries a radio, now outfitted with a new emergency button.

(on camera): You had the black mask on. A lot of people wouldn't be able to handle that. I mean forget about the heat, the fire. What is that feeling like?

PENA: You pretty much blend in there, you know? I mean you've got a lot of things that are going through your mind. You've got to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to achieve. You've got to find a body. You've got to find a, you know, a victim.

FEYERICK (voice-over): Part of his life and death job with even greater risks because of the new terror threat.

Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Tomorrow, in the conclusion of our series, A Probie's Life, the tragedy that helped to build a better fire department.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired December 23, 2003 - 08:23   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Jorge Pena was what's known as a probie, a probationary firefighter with New York City's Fire Department. He was among those who signed up after hundreds from the Department were killed on 9/11. But then, half way through his training, he was called to serve in Iraq.
This morning, in part two of our three part series of A Probie's Life, we hear Pena's thoughts about going off to war and about saving lives at home.

Here's CNN's Deborah Feyerick.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A sign at the Fire Academy says, "Let no man's ghost say his training let him down."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ten-four.

FEYERICK: As a probationary firefighter, or probie, Jorge Pena spent his first weeks learning what he had to and the inevitable. All of this while becoming what Pena calls part of the brotherhood.

JORGE PENA, PROBATIONARY FIREFIGHTER: You look right behind you, you know, somebody's going to catch you if you fall, you know? It's just that type of feeling.

FEYERICK: Then came the Iraq war. Pena, a Marine reservist, was called to fight, 2nd Battalion, 25th Marines, some combat, but mostly intelligence.

(on camera): When you were over in Iraq, did you feel that you were -- did you feel a direct connection to the fire department?

PENA: Yes, personally, I would say for me, you know, pay back of what happened to us.

FEYERICK (voice-over): When he returned to New York, Pena brought a flag signed by his battalion.

NICHOLAS SANTANGELO, CHIEF OF BATTALION: Well, he really exhibited, you know, the heart and the attitude, the perseverance, the selflessness. That's what it takes to do extraordinary things.

FEYERICK (on camera): How do you think the training at the fire academy different than in the military? PENA: A different agenda. I mean you're teaching one thing. You know, in the Marines they teach you how to kill; here they teach you how to put out fires. You know, it's just two different things.

FEYERICK: Yes.

PENA: But the same intensity.

FEYERICK (voice-over): Since 9/11, there's been a bigger focus on training for biological or chemical events. Everyone caries a radio, now outfitted with a new emergency button.

(on camera): You had the black mask on. A lot of people wouldn't be able to handle that. I mean forget about the heat, the fire. What is that feeling like?

PENA: You pretty much blend in there, you know? I mean you've got a lot of things that are going through your mind. You've got to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to achieve. You've got to find a body. You've got to find a, you know, a victim.

FEYERICK (voice-over): Part of his life and death job with even greater risks because of the new terror threat.

Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Tomorrow, in the conclusion of our series, A Probie's Life, the tragedy that helped to build a better fire department.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com