9/11: 8 Years Later
Frank Borelli
Editor-in-Chief
Officer.com
On this coming Friday, September 11th, 2009, the United States of America will be remembering the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11th, 2001. We will be remembering the 2,998 lives lost; the horror and devastation we all watched on television; the memorials people from around the world were kind and empathetic enough to place outside our embassies. We’ll should also remember a few other things that may cause us a bit of righteous anger:
- We cannot forget that those attacks were committed by fanatical men driven to kill innocent Americans. Such men still exist today as was just recently demonstrated when three men were convicted in the British courts for planning more attacks on airplanes; attacks that they hoped would kill tens of thousands.
- We cannot forget that such men don’t just plan airplane attacks but also scheme to commit any such acts of atrocity that will take innocent American lives.
- We cannot forget that such men can’t be bargained with; cannot be negotiated with.
- We cannot forget that here in America; here at home - our public safety officials comprise the final line of defense against such terrorists. The first line of defense is an observant public that isn’t afraid to dial 911.
First, I’d like to encourage all readers to take a moment to remember that morning; the events; the scenes; the videos, pictures and more. I don’t encourage this in an attempt to incite rage - but instead to incite two feelings: sadness and then national pride. Remember the horror and loss and allow sadness to fill you - as it should. But when the sadness passes, remember the outpouring of national pride and strength that was demonstrated so clearly in the weeks that followed those attacks. Let that same sense of national pride fill you and celebrate the unique blessings afforded to each of us in these United States of America.
Second, I’d like to remind all public safety responders - especially those of you who are the first to respond to calls of violence - to remain vigilant. Remember that those who hate and would attack us train hard and plan long. We must train just as hard and constantly plan to counter their attacks. We are well on our way. Many active shooter / immediate response programs teach tactics that are applicable to counter-terror work. For our reaction to be successful we must train regularly; maintain ourselves and our equipment properly.
Third, I’d like to thank every member of the public who supports their peace keepers, police officers, deputy sheriffs, firemen, paramedics, etc. No one can do the job all alone and any support we receive from the public is better than the option.
Finally, I’d ask you to comment below. I clearly remember that morning: where I was; what I was doing; the proclamation made by a man standing next to me as we watched the second plane fly into the World Trade Center. He said, “Oh, my God. We’re at war!” He didn’t know how right he was at that time.
Where were you? What were you doing? How did it impact your day? week? month? life?
Above photo credited to and used with the permisson of, Norm Styer.
I encourage everyone to remember that day and use those memories both to honor the dead; mourn the loss of innocent life; and maintain an inspiration to remain strong as Americans.
I still can’t watch THIS VIDEO without choking up with emotion and, yes… crying.
Please share your thoughts…
If not for my insight, my husband would have been on the first plane that hit WTC that day, instead of Danny - I wish my instinct would have been heard - so now, I have to live with the loss of a dear friend and countless lives that were lost - but God was listening - and he allowed the usual population to have been out of the building. Terrorists are still working on a finale, I feel it - this time, when I sense something again, my instincts and gut feelings are going to be heard, just as soon as I have another strong premonition such as I did that week prior to 9/11/01 - I do not care anymore about wether or not people view me as crazy - I like to think that I am merely gifted. Word of advise America - stop these Political Party games - it is going to weaken our Unity in this Country. Respect what our current President is trying to accomplish and help your fellow American regardless of race, religion, political party, etc. - we are all human on this great Earth, except for the mindless terrorists! People died for us to wake up and unite against these evil beings. Be wary of computers, mechanical parts and travel routes………. that is all I am certain of for now…..
Peace and God Bless those we mourn..
CAMP DOHA, Kuwait — For Staff Sgt. Christopher Whitford, an Army reservist from New York City, the war against terrorism remains personal.
Whitford joined other city police officers in a bucket brigade at the ruins of the World Trade Center the day after Sept. 11, hauling out bits of debris and body parts. All the time, he was praying for his missing brother, Mark. “He was somewhere in that pile of rubble,” Whitford said. “We pulled a few bodies out. At least someone’s loved ones were out of there.”
Whitford’s family would wait until April 5 for recovery workers to find Mark’s remains. Whitford, who now works in the secretive realm of the unmanned Predator
spy plane, wells with tears when retelling his story. “He was recovered on his birthday,” Whitford said, his hand shaking slightly. “I went home for the funeral
service.”
Whitford only tells of the horrors of Sept. 11, and the loss of his younger brother, in hopes his story motivates fellow soldiers. “Don’t forget what happened that day. Don’t lose interest in the war,” Whitford says, as if talking to troops whose daily routines in Kuwait often border on the mundane. “Don’t ever say we’re even. We’re not even until all the terrorists are killed or captured.”
As terrorists hijacked planes and flew them toward Manhattan early on Sept. 11, Whitford, who had just finished the graveyard shift at the 1st Precint, donned
his Army uniform and headed to Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island. He planned to make up a missed drill with his Reserve unit, the 331st Military Intelligence company. There, as he finished a cup of coffee with his first sergeant, he heard the radio news report a plane had struck the World Trade Center. He was already out the door, on his way to the Staten Island Ferry, when his father called his cell phone saying a second plane had hit and that his brother Mark, a firefighter in midtown New York, was on his way to help.
The ferry ride was unbearable, Whitford said. Along with other emergency service workers, Whitford helplessly watched as a ball of fire spewed from the two buildings and the smoke rose from southern Manhattan. A little earlier, Mark Whitford had left his fire station driving Engine 23 south to the Twin Towers with five fellow firefighters. During the rush, Mark called his wife, Renee, telling her, “Don’t worry. If anything happens, Chris will find me.” The towers collapsed before
Whitford disembarked at the ferry terminal, he said, shrouding several city blocks in dust and debris that clouded visibility to about arm’s length. Still, he and other emergency workers plodded through mounds of mangled office equipment, blocks of rubble, and trails of debris looking for survivors. “It was just chaos,” Whitford said. “We could barely breathe with the dust.”
City officials pulled back rescue workers when another building began to collapse. Later that afternoon, Whitford resumed his search, not knowing his brother’s
fate. He found Engine 23 intact, but empty. “As the driver, technically he was supposed to stay with his truck,” Whitford said. “But Mark wouldn’t have that. He went in with the rest of his men.” Mark’s team had been on the 21st floor of the South Tower, which collapsed while his brother Chris was still on the ferry.
On Sept. 12, Whitford and fellow officer Eddy Louis rejoined workers sifting through the mountain of rubble. Some told Whitford they saw his brother alive, giving him a false sense of hope. For hours, he spun around every firefighter he saw, hoping it would be Mark. Then, among dust-filled air that could choke anything living, a large butterfly flew into Whitford’s face, causing him to instinctively swat the creature away. “I think that was a message from Mark,” Whitford said. “That was him telling me something.”
Whitford may have been the first uniformed U.S. Army soldier at the scene. It was hours later that National Guardsmen secured the site. After three weeks of assisting at Ground Zero, Whitford volunteered to remain in his Army uniform and deploy overseas. Mark wasn’t the only person close to Whitford to die that year. Louis, the fellow officer who helped Whitford through weeks of agony, died Dec. 30 after being struck by a drunken driver just a few blocks from his Staten Island home. “It hasn’t been a real good year for me,” Whitford said. On Nov. 11, two days after arriving in Kuwait, Whitford led a Veterans Day run dedicated to his brother. The long months away have helped Whitford distance himself from the pain, but not a day goes by when he doesn’t think of Mark, he said. “It’s important that I’m part of the war on terrorism,” Whitford said. “I’m here to make sure this never happens again.”
September 11, 2001. I was just beginning my Law Enforcement career at the Rhode Island Municipal Police Academy. We were at the firearms range for training. We took a short break and an instructor told everyone what had happened. We watched the news for about 1/2 hour, in disbelief of what we were seeing. After watching for 1/2 hour, our instructors, like the true professionals most law enforcement officers are, told us…”we need to concentrate on what we are here for, let these images go for now and continue with our training”. This pretty much sums up what all of my brothers and sisters do everyday. No matter what we encounter, no matter how difficult, disturbing, hard, dangerous or whatever, we must continue to do what we do. On this September 11th, let us remember our friends and family members we lost. Let us remember the sacrifice that so many men and women of the NYPD and FDNY made. Let us remember that all across the United States, everyday, the men and women of the public safety sector fight for your safety. On September 11th, thank a police officer, fire fighter, EMS personnel and/or member of the military. RIP brothers and sisters, you are not forgotten.
I was in church the morning the attacks occurred. Several of us were preparing for a church concert, when the secretary came in to tell us that an airplane had crashed into the World Trade Center. None of us grasped the full implications of the news– no one COULD at that point, because it was just beginning– but we stopped what we were doing and prayed for some time. I had spent many hours with the police chaplains who were in charge of responding to the bombing of the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City. The stories they told, and the pictures they showed, filled my mind as I prayed for the people at the World Trade Center. I knew the responders were facing horrific things, and needed God’s help. But even knowing that, I didn’t know the half of it! When we finished praying, we continued preparing for our concert.
But before too long, we knew there wasn’t going to be a concert. We learned the awful news: that a second plane had hit the towers; that the towers had come down, taking thousands of lives, including hundreds of firefighters, police officers, and EMTs. We learned that a plane had also hit the Pentagon, that another had crashed somewhere in Pennsylvania, and that still other planes were unaccounted for, and might be headed for other targets. We realized that America was under siege– and we realized that we had to call the community together to pray. So for the rest of the day, we worked toward that end. We spread the word through phone calls, flyers, announcements on TV and radio. We quickly pulled together scripture lessons, prayers, and hymns that spoke to such times as we found ourselves living in. That night our little village church was full of people who prayed and sang and listened to Scripture for two hours.
Members of the congregation met weekly for prayers for the country from that day to May 30th, when the recovery work at the World Trade Center was completed. Every year since, on the anniversary, I join with our local police department, fire company, and members of the public to remember the events of September 11th, and to honor those who laid down their lives in the line of duty.
As for me, I had only been a police chaplain for a year or so when the attacks happened, but they motivated me to prepare for disaster response. I dropped out of many church activities to turn my attention to disaster training. I was rostered through a nearby county’s mental health department, and have been called out to deal with several weather-related disasters since, and a plane crash. For the past eight years, my focus has been very much on trauma– learning to pastor traumatized folks, trying to promote preparation.
So many of the recovery workers have died in these last eight years– from cancers, respiratory ailments, suicide. I think it is impossible to count the cost of these attacks in terms of numbers of lives lost. I know it is not over, yet.
But I am proud to be an American, and I honor those who serve as emergency responders. I am proud to stand with them, to help in my small way. We will never give in or give up.
And we will never forget.
On Tuesday 9-8 my wife and I were watching television and we ran across a special on the National Geographic channel called, INSIDE 9-11. I highly recommend it. We started to watch it thinking we would check it out for a few minutes and ended up watching the whole thing.
It hit us with both barrels once again just how terrible that day was and how important the men and women of the Public Safety industry are. This country lost 3,000 people that day but we lost part of America as well. We lost a lot of Public Safety heroes as well.
This world is quite small. My wife learned just a few days after 9-11 that her best friend from boarding school had lost her brother in the World Trade Centers. He was a broker for Cantor Fitzgerald.
Terrorism is a terrible thing. We owe the people who put there lives on the line every day for us an incredible amount of gratitude. They don’t get enough. Please support them in every way you can. For the ones we lost on 911 – God Bless You!
I was off (SO) and I was at home. I saw the news at around 11am and called my unit (US Army) to find out about deploying for war. Half my unit went to Afghanistan. I went to Iraq later on. Getting ready to go again… God loves the Infantry, hooah!!!
I live in england but have American roots that i am very proud of, i would like to say to all the heroes and their families and all the families who lost members, i have four children my eldest two remeber that day my other two one is too little to remember and one was not born until five years later i make sure they remember this day and the fallen ones, we may not have it on the tv or radio like in america i wish we did so i wouldnot feel so alone honouring the fallen but i will nwver forget that day, god bless them all.x
I had worked late and was sleeping when I got a call: “Turn on the TV. The Pentagon and the World Trade Center have been attacked. We’re 5 minutes from Martial Law.” I knew the caller and I knew he wouldn’t joke about such a matter. I turned on the TV and watched in dismay.
When we remember all those innocents who perished, let’s please all remember the example of faith and courage and invincibility set by Todd Beamer and the other stalwarts of Flight 93, and if anyone ever again tries to hijack one of our airplanes, or commit any other atrocity against our Nation, “let’s roll”.