Remember 9/11

[J_glenn06]

Being a firefighter and i know alot of you were in the arm forces at some point. I felt like i should write this post when i was on the way to work this morning and counted 11 flags flying at half mass. So lets not forget the 2,998 people that lost there life that day. And not forget the 343 NYFD and paramedics doing there job and lost there life. I Believe that everyone remembers were they were that day. I was in the 9th grade when they turned on the tv in the classroom and i couldnt believe what i was seeing. Where were you September 11, 2001??

[deepdiverbob]

I would also like to include the passengers on the planes, and the workers at the Pentagon. It seems to me that these people are usually forgotten about. More then the twin towers got hit. More than just people in the buildings. We need to remember the entire event, not just NYC.




Note: This is not directed at the OP, I have been posting this same paragraph on just about every message board I am a member of.

[Janet]

The Live Oak Fire Dept. had a laddertruck out today with the ladder extended and
an American flag on the end of the ladder, it was so nice to see. A lot of businesses
had flags out also-which did make me wonder where are these flags every other day. Our oldest son just called a few hours ago to tell us he is home, back in Alaska from his
second tour in Iraq, his 3 year old was so happy I told him to call when she has settled down some. The really great news is in March he'll be stationed in Mississippi, a 7 hours drive from us. Three more years and he'll retire with 20 years in the Army.
Janet

[mag3]

Where were you September 11, 2001??

I was actually very near "ground zero." I was working at the southern end of TriBeCa. A normal morning, nice and sunny. My cube was on the 14th floor of a 40 story building. It was 8:45am, and I was cruising my e-mail, when I saw a "broadcast" e-mail of an aircraft crashing into one of the towers. The poster was a "jokester" type that often posted a lot of broadcast e-mails. I ignored it at first.

And then, I started to hear a little "office buzz" about it. I continued to ignore for a while, and then a few minutes later, our "jokester" sent the broadcast e-mail in re: the "2nd" aircraft crashing ("This is a terrorist attack!" the e-mail said). And then, some more office buzz. And Mgrs starting to get very nervous. And talk of "evacuation."

I called a friend of mine who worked in the space we rented at 7WTC, expecting nothing. Surprisingly, he picked up, and what I heard was a cacophony of bells, whistles, sirens and people going absolutely crazy. He acknowledged the bedlam going on. He stayed on the phone for about 20 seconds, and then said, "I gotta go!... CLICK" Thankfully, he made it out and to safety, as did all our people in 7WTC.

Meanwhile, more office buzz, and more panic. So now, I'm thinking, "OK, I'll wash out the tea cup, pack my brief case, put the PC on 'remote access' and wait." I didn't have to wait very long. You know the "drone voice" you usually hear on the PA system that says, "everyone please exit in an calm, orderly fashion...."? Well, this was more like Kevin Bacon at the end of Animal House:

"OK HOLLY CRAP! GET OUT NOW! USE ANYWAY YOU CAN! AND DO IT IN A CALM, ORDERLY FASHION!!!" :eek:

I zipped right down the express elevator (they were still working), and out into a sea of utter chaos. People were running every which way, screaming, crying, not knowing what to do. Mgrs were accounting for their employees, who were still arriving (the transit systems were still running). You couldn't get a cell connection because 1) the crashes brought down several cell towers in the area (the ones on 1-2 WTC), and 2) Everyone was jamming the network.

After about 20 min. outdoors, my group was standing on the same side of Greenwich St as our building. We heard a collective "scream" from the opposite side of the street. Everyone just flooded into the middle of the street just in time to see the 1st tower collapse. It didn't occur to us that it would collapse on it's own... We thought it had been hit again. So now people started to scatter. We were fortunate enough to have 2 shorter "auxillary" buildings nearby, and we all crowded into one of them. After a while, it got to the point where Sr. mgt. said, "anyone below 'x' title, leave now and head northward." So we did, still without the ability to dial out.

As I proceeded north on Greenwich St, my cell phone vibrated which I had not expected, so it took me a while to answer. Thankfully, I got it on the 4th ring before voicemail. It was my mother. I told her I was OK and to call everyone. My battery was getting low, so the conversation was quick. I couldn't call anyone else.

I made it up to 16th street in Chelsea to a cousin's apt. Thankfully she was home, but had been asleep and had no idea of what was going on (she works at night). All I had to do was turn on the news. She had to go to work later on, but at least I could stay long enough to charge my cell (not that I could use it), but my cousin's folks also had an apt. nearby where I could stay the night (the transit systems had stopped by then). Nothing was moving in or out of Manhattan. I had dinner reservations at a major restaurant that night, but all of them had closed for "security" reasons as well. Thankfully, the little Chinese place around the corner was open.

The next morning, I made my way to the PATH station at 23rd street. I tried to put the 1$ in the machine, but it kept spitting it out. Wouldn't work. I had tried for about 20 min. and still nothing. Finally, a PATH employee came by and said, "Don't even try to put money in it. It's free today." A train was waiting in the station. I got on, but it just stayed there. I discovered later that the conductor was not letting it move. Apparently, a woman of age 40-50 or so and her apparent 19 y/o son, the woman dressed in what appeared to be "Islamic" attire, had boarded the train. The conductor refused to allow the train to leave. After a few minutes, several of the pax. (including myself) gave the conductor our "WHAT THE F*** IS YOUR PROBLEM" look. :smt013

He got the message, closed the doors, and off the train went to the Hoboken terminal, mom & son still on board. I got a commuter train home (again free that day) to the station where my car was located the day before.

We were not allowed back into TriBeCa for 3 weeks. After we were allowed back in, we had to show ID to the police stationed at Canal St. for about 2-3 weeks thereafter. Near my buildings, they were staging a lot of debris from ground zero (it was also where Police/Fire/EMS had setup the initial command post). I remember giving out water to the police who were massing around there that morning.

Anyway, that's where I was. Our firm was very lucky. Only 4 fatalities (only those who were making sales calls in the twin towers). Everyone in 7WTC got out and to safety before it caught on fire and collapsed. But a lot of our people suffered emotional trauma watching what was happening to the towers and how people were "evacuating," or *not* as the case may be. Imagine having to make this decision: "I'm going to die, one way or another. Do I want to be crushed/burned in the rubble and die slowly, or do I want to "make it quick" by jumping off the roof (or out of an open window) and crashing onto the pavement?"

A lot of people "jumped" that day. And the people evacuating in the general area had to watch it happen.

We were all victims. Every one of us.

[MedCop]

I was a Police Officer (worked covert / overt Narcotics) at the time. I set my own hours and usually worked the evening and nights as that is when most of the people I delt with were awake.

However, on that morning for no real reason I was up and awake...I never got up before noon. The TV was on in the living room...I walked out of my bedroom, and stood and watched the second plane hit the WTC. Yes, standing in my underwear in my living room watching it happen. Sorry for the visual, but that is how it sticks in my head, and the image and my surroundings that morning is forever burned in my head.

About 5 minutes after the second plane hit the WTC my pager went off with a 911 call from my boss. When I called him back I was told, get up, get dressed, bring your gear (meaning entry gear) and plan to be out for a couple days. We had NO idea what was happening or going to happen.

I called my wife at work, she already knew what was going on, told her I had to go in (to work) and don't know when I will be home. She just simplay said, I know, I love you and be careful.

I got dressed, grabbed all my gear, all the extra ammo and mags I had, a couple changes of clothing, tossed them in my truck and met the rest of our team at the office. What we did the next couple of days is nothing exciting now, but looking back at the time when everyone was very much on edge we were prepped for anything.

I am man enought to say it...when I got home I was mentally and physically exhausted......I cried, broke down right in the very living room I watched the plane hit and I cried. It made me feel better. That day changed me, changed the world..............I HATE being the victim.

[bgillespie82]

I was in bootcamp when Sep 11 happened and was told we were being invaded. They wouldnt let us communicate with outside world and we couldnt watch the news so we had no clue what was going on and we were on lockdown.

[mag3]

I am man enought to say it...when I got home I was mentally and physically exhausted......I cried, broke down right in the very living room I watched the plane hit and I cried. It made me feel better. That day changed me, changed the world..............I HATE being the victim.

I truly hope you had CISD made available to you. I recall encouraging the officers to whom we gave water bottles that morning to get it. I knew about it having done several in my former life as an EMT/PIT. They (the emerg. teams) were all covered with that dust/soot that smelled like burned electrical wires and asbestos. That smell lingered for a long time after we returned, as they were still staging debris from ground zero near our building (which was right on West St and had a view of the river).

Y'all did an excellent job that day.:clapper

[MedCop]

I truly hope you had CISD made available to you. I recall encouraging the officers to whom we gave water bottles that morning to get it. I knew about it having done several in my former life as an EMT/PIT. They (the emerg. teams) were all covered with that dust/soot that smelled like burned electrical wires and asbestos. That smell lingered for a long time after we returned, as they were still staging debris from ground zero near our building (which was right on West St and had a view of the river).

Y'all did an excellent job that day.:clapper

I was not at ground zero, I was actually in Missouri. Sorry if it came out wrong in my original post. The events that day put everyone on alert...even us in Missouri.

I

[mag3]

I was not at ground zero, I was actually in Missouri. Sorry if it came out wrong in my original post. The events that day put everyone on alert...even us in Missouri.



Precisely. Everyone on ready alert. On a day where we didn't know what else might be coming at us and from where, and targeting what.

Everyone who stepped up to the plate that day to protect us, no matter where, deserves or express gratitude.

Again I say :clapper

[bottomtime]

I was at the feed store here in Gainsville and they had the TV on and saw the second plane hit tower 2, late that night and the next day did I learn my brother-in-law's brother, and my uncle's, daughter's niece both died in the second tower as I watched,,,,,,,

NEVER FORGET,,,,, September 11, 2001

[JerseyJersey]

I was at work with no television acess..... I got 3 calls from my then Jersey City fire captain husband in just a few short minutes.... a plane hit the world trade center..... a second plane hit....... the building collapsed, there are at least 100 firemen in there, I have to go......

I didnt hear from him for 3 days.... I sat in a chair in front of the tv and cried.... for 3 days.... for him that came back and for everyone who didnt......