Dr. Kerry Kelly and Daniel Jost

  • First Responder, Survivor
  • Audio Description

Dr. Kerry Kelly was the FDNY's Chief Medical Officer on 9/11. She set up a medical triage center that day and worked tirelessly to ensure adequate protection for rescue and recovery workers and then to address consequences of their exposure to toxins. Daniel Jost is her husband, a Staten Island school teacher on 9/11 with many students whose parents were first responders.

2023 Digital Learning Experience Video - Dr. Kerry Kelly and Daniel Jost (Audio Description)

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This story was filmed as part of our 9/11 Anniversary Digital Learning Experience, which introduces students to first-person accounts of the 9/11 attacks. Participate in our 2024 program by completing this registration form.

Teaching Guides

Find tailored questions below for teaching this story.

As you listen to Dr. Kelly and Mr. Jost, consider the following questions:

  • Describe the start of the day for Dr. Kelly and Mr. Jost. How did they react to the news about the Twin Towers?
  • How did being able to talk to each other impact Dr. Kelly and Mr. Jost’s day?
  • How did Dr. Kelly’s job change after the attacks? Why didn’t Dr. Kelly go home that day? 
  • How did the fire department remember those who had been killed? What can you do in your own community to help remember and honor those who were killed on 9/11?

As you listen to Dr. Kelly and Mr. Jost, consider the following questions:

  • What responsibilities did Dr. Kelly and Mr. Jost have at the start of the morning? How did their responsibilities change after the attacks started?
  • How did communication (or lack thereof) change the way Dr. Kelly and Mr. Jost experienced 9/11?
  • What kind of care did firefighters need after the attacks? How did Dr. Kelly help them get this care? 
  • How has the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) memorialized the firefighters who were killed? What meaning does this have? How can memorialization help communities process tragic events?

As you listen to Dr. Kelly and Mr. Jost, consider the following questions:

  • Compare and contrast Dr. Kelly and Mr. Jost’s initial response to the attacks. How did their concerns vary?
  • What impact did communication (or lack thereof) have on the Kelly-Jost family? 
  • What impacts did 9/11 have on the health of firefighters? How did Dr. Kelly advocate for and assist these firefighters? 
  • How has the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) memorialized the firefighters who were killed?  How can memorialization help communities process tragic events?

Additional Resources

Hear even more from Dr. Kerry Kelly and Daniel Jost on the MEMO blog. For additional first-person accounts from those directly impacted by 9/11, return to the DLE Archive.