World Trade Center Operations Office of Chief Medical Examiner

Memorial Park: Memorial Park, located on 30th Street adjacent to the Medical Examiner's office, is the temporary resting place for the victims of September 11th. The remains of those who died on 9/11 will stay at Memorial Park for a number of years until they are moved to the permanent memorial at Ground Zero. The Medical Examiner's office will retain access to the remains once they go to the memorial in the event of future identifications.

On December 23, 2002 Mayor Michael Bloomberg dedicated a space for families in Memorial Park. Inside, families can leave flowers, pictures, and other mementos on benches around the room. Only family members may schedule a visit Memorial Park; however they are welcome to bring guests with them. To keep Memorial Park private, we do not allow photographs or recording devices inside.

World Trade Center Hotline: The Medical Examiner's office has a special unit for World Trade Center operations. That unit can be reached via our WTC Hotline: 212-447-7884. Families are encouraged to call with any questions or concerns. The phones are staffed by OCME personnel who can answer specific questions families may have or general questions about our operations. This is also the number families can call to schedule visits to Memorial Park or to have a family photo identification made.

Families who wish to visit should call our World Trade Center Hotline at 212-447-7884. Normal visitation hours are Monday through Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm with weekend hours by appointment. The Medical Examiner's office and Memorial Park are handicap accessible.

Family Photo ID Cards: The Medical Examiner's office began creating photo identification cards for the security of families who were visiting Memorial Park. Over time, these identification cards started being used by other agencies to identify World Trade Center families. The Mayor's Office of Community Affairs has adopted this ID as the universal family ID for all future WTC events. The ID can be used at the Family Room at Ground Zero. We will make an ID for any family member. To have a photo ID card made, you need to come to our office and bring a photo identification (such as a driver's license).

Family Consultations: Our office maintains a file on each of the victims of the World Trade Center disaster. This file contains all documents that have been gathered since 9/11. Any family member can schedule an appointment to sit down with an investigator and discuss their family member's file. This can be done whether or not an identification has been made. If an identification has been made, we can discuss the specifics of the identification with the family. These consultations are normally scheduled between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and weekend by appointment.

Medical Examiner Records: Families can request a copy of the file. The records we send will include a copy of the intake form, case notes and the identification information. The request needs to be made in writing and sent to the Medical Examiner's office. The request should include the name of the deceased, the RM number and relationship of the person making the request to the deceased. It generally takes one to two weeks to get the certified copy. There is no charge to the family for the copies. The request should be mailed to:

Office of Chief Medical Examiner
World Trade Center Operations
Attn: Dawnetta Pearson
520 First Ave.
New York, NY 10016

Getting to the Medical Examiner's office: Memorial Park is located at the Medical Examiner's office at 520 First Avenue (at 30th Street) in Manhattan.

Subway: Take the 6 train to either 28th street or 33rd street and then walk east to First Avenue and 30th Street.

Driving: Take FDR drive to the 23rd street exit to First Avenue. At First Avenue, make a right and go to 30th Street. Parking is available at NYU (29th and First) or at other nearby lots. There is metered parking on Second Avenue.

Click here for Dr. Hirsch's April 22, 2005, letter

Click here to download Notification Request Form