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American Morning
A Probie's Life: Jorge Pena
Aired December 24, 2003 - 08:25 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: After September 11, some men and women who planned to become New York City firefighters changed their minds, deciding that the risks were too great. But not Jorge Pena. The probationary firefighter came back from the Iraq war to become a full fledged member of the FDNY.
Now, in the conclusion of our series, "A Probie's Life," CNN's Deborah Feyerick follows Pena as he shifts from fighting the war to fighting fires.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After 12 weeks of intense training interrupted by war, Jorge Pena's childhood wish came true. Pena, the son of Cuban immigrants, became a New York City firefighter.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It means achieving something very important. Right now, we have to support him.
FEYERICK (on camera): New York City has about 8,700 firefighters in more than 200 firehouses. The tragedy of 9/11 was both a blow and a turning point.
NICHOLAS SANTANGELO, FDNY CHIEF OF TRAINING: In a crazy sort of way, it created an opportunity to take new people and train them to a different level.
FEYERICK: So you built a stronger fire department, on some levels?
SANTANGELO: Yes. Without a doubt. I believe so.
FEYERICK (voice-over): New training means firefighters are better equipped to handle terror attacks. But for Pena, it's about fire, and he can't wait to fight his first one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You took it out on the road?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
FEYERICK: Pena landed at Engine 52 in the South Bronx. It's the city's busiest firehouse, last year answering nearly 470 calls, and average of more than one fire a day. Coming in for the first time, Pena did what all probies do.
JORGE PENA, PROBATIONARY FIREFIGHTER: The first thing you do is you set your gear by the rig. Then you check the rig.
FEYERICK: Then breakfast. On Pena's second day, a big call came, a four alarm fire at a mattress warehouse in Manhattan. A young rookie was killed, the first trained after 9/11 to die. Still, Pena's commitment to his life long dream never waivers.
(on camera): What do you think makes the New York Fire Department special as opposed to any other fire department in the country?
PENA: The members and its tradition. That's what, you put two, those two together, and that's what makes this the best job in the world.
FEYERICK (voice-over): Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: The ranks of the FDNY, as Deborah reported, known as New York's bravest, were devastated by September 11. Three hundred and forty-three members of the Department were killed in the attacks on the World Trade Center.
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 24, 2003 - 08:25 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: After September 11, some men and women who planned to become New York City firefighters changed their minds, deciding that the risks were too great. But not Jorge Pena. The probationary firefighter came back from the Iraq war to become a full fledged member of the FDNY.
Now, in the conclusion of our series, "A Probie's Life," CNN's Deborah Feyerick follows Pena as he shifts from fighting the war to fighting fires.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After 12 weeks of intense training interrupted by war, Jorge Pena's childhood wish came true. Pena, the son of Cuban immigrants, became a New York City firefighter.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It means achieving something very important. Right now, we have to support him.
FEYERICK (on camera): New York City has about 8,700 firefighters in more than 200 firehouses. The tragedy of 9/11 was both a blow and a turning point.
NICHOLAS SANTANGELO, FDNY CHIEF OF TRAINING: In a crazy sort of way, it created an opportunity to take new people and train them to a different level.
FEYERICK: So you built a stronger fire department, on some levels?
SANTANGELO: Yes. Without a doubt. I believe so.
FEYERICK (voice-over): New training means firefighters are better equipped to handle terror attacks. But for Pena, it's about fire, and he can't wait to fight his first one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You took it out on the road?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
FEYERICK: Pena landed at Engine 52 in the South Bronx. It's the city's busiest firehouse, last year answering nearly 470 calls, and average of more than one fire a day. Coming in for the first time, Pena did what all probies do.
JORGE PENA, PROBATIONARY FIREFIGHTER: The first thing you do is you set your gear by the rig. Then you check the rig.
FEYERICK: Then breakfast. On Pena's second day, a big call came, a four alarm fire at a mattress warehouse in Manhattan. A young rookie was killed, the first trained after 9/11 to die. Still, Pena's commitment to his life long dream never waivers.
(on camera): What do you think makes the New York Fire Department special as opposed to any other fire department in the country?
PENA: The members and its tradition. That's what, you put two, those two together, and that's what makes this the best job in the world.
FEYERICK (voice-over): Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: The ranks of the FDNY, as Deborah reported, known as New York's bravest, were devastated by September 11. Three hundred and forty-three members of the Department were killed in the attacks on the World Trade Center.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
