Dr. Emil Chynn shares photos from makeshift triage station at World Trade Center site Park Avenue LASEK medical director releases unseen images from September 11 response

Personal photographs taken at Ground Zero in the immediate aftermath of September 11 are being released publicly for the first time. Dr. Emil Chynn, who served as the first physician to reach the site, is making his visual archive available on the 25th anniversary of the attacks.

Chynn had previously assisted victims following the 1993 World Trade Center bombing before returning to downtown Manhattan on September 11, 2001. Upon arrival, he set up a temporary emergency triage station within the wreckage to render medical aid to the injured.

“Twenty-five years later, I still remember the faces, the chaos, and the extraordinary courage of the people who ran toward the destruction to help others,” Chynn said. His time providing care at the fallen towers led to long-term health effects, including a diagnosis of asthma.

While performing medical triage, Chynn captured images documenting the response effort and the surrounding destruction. The photography collection includes moments of rescue personnel resting between shifts, early morning light over the wreckage, and a patient receiving eye care directly within the debris.

“I still remember everything, and we must continue to tell their stories — not only today, on the 25th anniversary, but for generations to come,” Chynn said regarding the decision to share his collection. He noted that the photos represent his personal contribution to preserving historical memory.

Years after his work downtown, Chynn established a dedicated program in 2014 to provide LASEK vision-correction care to local first responders. He continues to practice medicine in New York City as the medical director of Park Avenue LASEK, focusing on refractive and corneal surgery while supporting causes connected to 9/11 response efforts.

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