Hungarian Firefighters Receive World Trade Center Steel

Ambassador Kounalakis hands a piece of steel from the World Trade Center to Lieutenant General Dr. György Bakondi, Director General of the National Directorate for Disaster Management (Embassy photo by Attila Németh)

On January 25, Ambassador Kounalakis presented four steel fragments from the World Trade Center to firefighters from Budapest, Kiskunfélegyháza, Kecskemét and Hatvan. The pieces were acquired by retired FDNY Battalion Chief Dan Daly. Ambassador Kounalakis said in her remarks: “Chief Daly has traveled the world discussing his experience as a first responder at the World Trade Center where he lost 50 of his own men.  He has shared inspiring stories of courage, leadership, selflessness, community and civic activism that rose out of 9/11. It is that inspiration that this steel represents.”

Chief Daly forged a bond with Hungarian firefighters through his friendship with Dr. Tamás Kutalik and has participated in many commemorative events in Hungary. Every year the firefighters of Kiskunfélegyháza and the Bács-Kiskun County Directorate General for Disaster Management have organized a 9/11 memorial marathon in which Embassy officers participate.

In his remarks, Lieutenant General Dr. György Bakondi, head of the National Directorate for Disaster Management expressed the firefighters’ gratitude for the present. Accepting the fragments on behalf of all Hungarian firefighters were Colonel Ferenc Varga, director of the Budapest Directorate for Disaster Management, Lieutenant Colonel Dezső Fekete, Commander of the Kecskemét Fire Department, Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Géza Zólyomi, Commander of the Hatvan City Fire Department, and Captain Gábor Leiz, Commander of Kiskunfélegyháza.

The steel pieces will be incorporated into identical sculptures for public display.