U.S. briefing

Intrepid’s 9/11 history includes emergency workspace for responders

The Intrepid museum complex supported emergency responders after September 11, with its flight deck serving as a temporary helipad.

The gray hull and flight deck of the aircraft carrier Intrepid beside the water.
The aircraft carrier Intrepid at its museum berth.

The Intrepid museum complex assisted FEMA and state and local emergency responders in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. Its flight deck became a temporary helipad, while the Hudson River location offered space and separation from the destruction in Lower Manhattan.

Inside the ship, workers set up tables, ran cables and established temporary computer networks to create an improvised workplace. FBI personnel also used an emergency command center in the agency’s garage on 26th Street, where hundreds of cars were removed to make room for operations.

Launched during World War II, the aircraft carrier served in several conflicts before becoming a museum and National Historic Landmark. Today, the Intrepid remains open to the public, preserving artifacts of American military and technological history alongside its connection to the September 11 response.