Working alongside the FBI, NY State Department of Environmental Conservation, NYC Department of Health + Mental Hygiene, and numerous other federal and state agencies, local uniformed first responders spent nearly a year on recovery work in lower Manhattan and on Staten Island transporting and sorting material, searching for remains, and cleaning contaminated surfaces across countless miles of NYC infrastructure. Thankfully, city leadership on the ground was ready and well-equipped to respond with a heightened sense of urgency. But one department whose preparedness and tireless work helped pave the way for other first responders to complete their rescue missions safely was often left out of headlines and popular narratives surrounding recovery.

This digital exhibition honors the oft-erased recovery work of the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) on and after 9/11. While the colossal task of cleaning up the city, ensuring the safety of the rescue missions, and protecting New Yorkers in the wake of immense tragedy required the tireless work of thousands of first responders, DSNY’s role in these efforts is a story that remains mostly untold. Until now.