Immediately following the attack, Col. John B. O’Dowd prioritized evacuating New York District offices near the World Trade Center. By the following day, all personnel were accounted for. Under O’Dowd’s leadership, the District successfully closed out normal business for the fiscal year without access to offices, equipment or files. At the same time, they supported recovery by establishing the debris sorting operation on Staten Island and dredging the waterways around Pier 25 and Pier 6 to facilitate debris removal.