Orio Joseph Palmer was 45 years old and from Valley Stream, New York. Orio was a Battalion Chief of the New York City Fire Department.
On September 11, 2001, Orio led the team of firefighters that reached the 78th floor of the South Tower, the floor where the plane had struck the building.
After arriving at the South Tower of the World Trade Center, Orio and his men took the one remaining operating elevator to the 44th floor sky deck, as high as it would go. There they climbed from the 44th floor to the 78th floor, putting out fires along the way while trying to save others.
Orio reached the 78th floor sky lobby and he was able to free a group of civilians trapped in an elevator at 9.58am. Orio radioed that the area was open to the 79th floor, "well into the impact zone", and reported "numerous civilian fatalities in the area". One minute later, at 9.59am, the South Tower collapsed, killing everyone still inside.
On their refrigerator, Debbie Palmer (Orio's wife), still keeps the saying her husband taped there before he led the men of his battalion to the World Trade Center. "Live while you're alive."
