National Volunteer Week: Light Amid Darkness

Like much of the world in the unnerving hours following the attacks that destroyed the WTC on 9/11, Charles Libin was glued to the TV, watching coverage of the disaster. A native New Yorker, he was horrified by the tragedy unfolding in his hometown and wanted to help his city respond in any way he could.

A gaffer for television and film productions, Libin soon realized that he and his fellow lighting technicians could be of service at Ground Zero, where the electrical grid had been disrupted. This complicated search and rescue efforts, especially as night descended, and obscured hazardous conditions at the site. The lighting techs were accustomed to creating and safely operating mobile lighting stations under tricky conditions. Through coordination with their labor union, Libin and his colleagues made their way to Ground Zero with lights and generators, providing much-needed focused visibility to responders trying to navigate the smoky, hazy, and ever darker conditions at the ravaged 16-acre site. 

Volunteering at Ground Zero for a week, Libin worked around the clock to position lights where they would best illuminate the shifting piles of debris. In an oral history he recorded with Museum staff, he spoke about the spirit of cooperation that prevailed amongst the responders at Ground Zero and the volunteers who were determined to support their search and rescue efforts.

Libin donated several items to the Museum’s collection, including a Ruby 7 light, a powerful piece of lighting equipment that he had designed with his colleague David Skutch. The Ruby 7 used at Ground Zero can be seen in the Museum’s historical exhibition. 

By 9/11 Memorial Staff