Port Authority Police Department gloves, World Trade Center : Captain D Bergman, Australian Army

Places
Accession Number REL36544
Collection type Heraldry
Object type Uniform
Physical description Canvas, Cotton, Flannel
Maker Unknown
Date made c 2001
Conflict Period 2000-2009
Description

Pair of workman's gloves. The gloves have a cream canvas turtleneck cuff which has a logo and the text 'AK Steel' printed on it in black. The palm and the underside of the fingers are made from a soft yellow flannel fabric, with a soft flannel cream lining. The upper forefinger and thumb are also made from these fabrics, whilst the other three finger uppers are made from a thick cotton fabric. Red cotton thread has been used to provide detail on the gloves, including sewing the edges of the cuffs.

History / Summary

Spare pair of gloves issued to Captain David Bergman, while working at the World Trade Center site in 2001. In late 2001 Bergman was studying Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) weapons and hazards in the United States.

Along with four other Australian officers, he was seconded to the New York Police Department (NYPD) from 2 to 25 November 2001 to assist with anthrax / white powder attacks that were occurring in the wake of the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001. He was deployed as part of the NYPD Hazardous (HAMMER) teams operating across New York City. They would be called out to incidents to investigate and decontaminate areas if required. During November Captain Bergman attended over 30 incidents.

After working with HAMMER, he was then seconded to the Port Authority Police Department (PAPD). He worked four night shifts as part of the PAPD recovery team at Ground Zero at the World Trade Center, New York. He also visited Staten Island human remains recovery site, where all recovered material was taken for sifting, and the morgue where he went through identification techniques used to identify people.