Quick Summary: CBS Honors Broadcast Engineers Who Died in 9/11 North Tower
- Jeff Birch, former CBS engineering executive, recalls the moment the line went dead while speaking to a transmitter operator during 9/11.
- Six broadcast engineers, including Isaias Rivera and Robert Pattison, died maintaining the North Tower’s transmission mast.
- The North Tower mast, once the highest point in NYC, symbolized unity among competing stations in the transmitter rooms.
- Birch emphasizes the engineers’ dedication, maintaining broadcast signals until the very last moment of the attack.
- A 20-foot section of the tower antenna now serves as a memorial, underscoring the engineers’ critical role.
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The unsung heroes of 9/11, the broadcast engineers who perished in the North Tower, are finally being recognized for their vital role in keeping New York informed during the chaos. Jeff Birch, a former CBS engineering executive, recalls the chilling moment when his call to a transmitter operator was cut short as the line went dead. His plea, “Don’t forget, we have people up on 110 that are trapped,” now echoes through the halls of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum.
These engineers, including Isaias Rivera and Robert Pattison, remained at their posts, ensuring the city stayed connected even as disaster loomed. The North Tower mast, once the city’s highest point, became a beacon of unity among competing stations. Birch highlights their unwavering commitment, stating, “Got to give them a lot of credit, because they kept those transmitters going until the very last second.” Their dedication transformed them from mere technicians to the backbone of New York’s emergency communication.
As CBS News commemorates the 25th anniversary of 9/11, the focus shifts to these engineers whose sacrifices have long been overshadowed. A 20-foot section of the tower antenna, recovered from Ground Zero, now stands as a poignant reminder of their contributions. Birch notes that the original mast was over 300 feet long, symbolizing the engineers’ monumental task and their role in maintaining the continuity of broadcast service during the catastrophe.
The narrative of these engineers challenges the traditional 9/11 remembrance, positioning them as indispensable figures in the city’s darkest hour. Their story, elevated by CBS’s extensive anniversary coverage, serves as a testament to the unseen foundation beneath every broadcast. As Birch reflects, “Every time we come up here, we think of them. This is really the monument to them,” the rebuilt transmission system itself becomes a living memorial, intertwining memory with the current infrastructure of New York broadcasting.
The story published by CBS New York on September 10, 2026 centers on two WCBS-TV engineers, Isaias Rivera and Robert Pattison, who were working on the 110th floor of the North Tower, where the antenna and transmission mast kept New York television stations on the air; CBS says six broadcast engineers in total died there that day. ” That framing is what makes the story stand out in this year’s flood of 9/11 remembrance coverage: it argues that the people who kept the city informed were also among the dead.
Birch, identified as the former senior vice president of engineering at CBS Stations, said the North Tower mast was once “the highest point in New York City,” and he described a workplace where competing stations became “one family” in the transmitter rooms above Manhattan. Birch captured that split when he said, “On the ground, we were all competing with each other for eyeballs.
This is really the monument to them,” suggesting that for the engineers who survived, the rebuilt transmission system itself functions as a living memorial. CBS said its New York station is carrying more than two dozen stories tied to the anniversary, which helps explain why this once-overlooked engineering story has surfaced so prominently now.
, with Steckman managing to report smoke conditions by phone from the 104th floor minutes afterward. CBS says Birch saw for the first time a 20-foot piece of the antenna recovered from Ground Zero; he noted the original mast was more than 300 feet long and had fallen from roughly a quarter mile in the air.
Over the past seven days, the timeline has accelerated because CBS and industry outlets are clearly building a coordinated 25th-anniversary package. documentary, “Daughters of 9/11,” focused on whether accused mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed will ever face justice.
This is really the monument to them,” suggesting that for the engineers who survived, the rebuilt transmission system itself functions as a living memorial. A 20-foot section of the tower antenna now serves as a memorial, underscoring the engineers’ critical role.
His plea, “Don’t forget, we have people up on 110 that are trapped,” now echoes through the halls of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. As CBS News commemorates the 25th anniversary of 9/11, the focus shifts to these engineers whose sacrifices have long been overshadowed.
A 20-foot section of the tower antenna, recovered from Ground Zero, now stands as a poignant reminder of their contributions. The narrative of these engineers challenges the traditional 9/11 remembrance, positioning them as indispensable figures in the city’s darkest hour.
The scale and speed of this development has caught many observers off guard. Each new update adds another dimension to a story that is still unfolding, and the full picture will only become clear as more verified details emerge from the people and institutions directly involved.
Analysts who have tracked this issue closely say the current moment represents a genuine turning point. The decisions made in the coming weeks are expected to set the direction for months ahead, with ripple effects likely to extend well beyond the immediate actors in the story.
For those directly affected, the practical impact is already visible. People navigating this fast-changing situation are dealing with real consequences while new information continues to reshape what is known and what remains open to interpretation.
Historical parallels offer some context, though experts caution against drawing too close a comparison. Similar situations have played out before, but the specific combination of pressures, personalities, and timing here makes this moment distinct in ways that matter for how it ultimately resolves.
The political and economic dimensions of this story are deeply intertwined. What appears as a single event on the surface is in practice the convergence of multiple pressures that have been building quietly over a longer period than most public reporting has captured.