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Vest
Description
Neon orange construction-style vest with neon yellow and reflective vertical stripes. The vest has two snap buttons on the front and yellow adjustable extension belts on the sides. On the back is a large reflective patch with the MTA logo and "New York City Transit" printed in blue. The vest is dirty.
Historical Notes
The Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) Local 100 represents thousands of Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) employees. These workers include subway and bus operators, station and ticketing agents, equipment and infrastructure maintainers, and cleaners.  

On and after 9/11, about 3,000 union members deployed to the World Trade Center. Many searched for victims. Transit operators drove thousands to safety and shuttled responders to the site. Machine operators cut beams and cleared rubble to create pathways. In damaged subway tunnels, cleaners removed dust and debris while maintainers restored services.

TWU Local 100 members assisted at Ground Zero throughout the nine-month rescue and recovery period.
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Curator's Comment
John Costa, a New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) Light Maintainer, was part of the large delegation of transit workers assigned to assist the recovery operations at Ground Zero beginning the evening of September 11, 2001. He retained his safety vest and a large container of collected dust as a testament to his participation.
  • Accession Number: C.2024.72.2
  • Dimensions: 23.5 in X 17.5 in
  • Dimensions (Metric): 59.69 cm X 44.45 cm
  • Source: John Costa
  • Credit Line: Gift of John Costa
Keywords
Ground ZeroMetropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA)Rescue and RecoveryWorn or Used After 9/11
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