Monday, September 11

9/11

5 years ago today I was at work. I was on my lunch break. It had been a normal day until then. We were on first lunch so after watching about 20mins we went back into the Control Room and explained to the crew what had happened. We then started to contact all our senior officers. We kept receiving faxes from London FB to put our Search and Rescue Teams on standby. There was nothing going on in the Brigade apart from the informing. Everyone was very somber, watching the developments on a big screen. Once again going into 'super efficient' mode.

Then we received a 999 call. A suspect package in a bus station. Everyone became very aware exactly what that meant. It turned out to be a hoax, along with about 3 others received that day. Why would people think of doing something like that normally, but on that day? What had been going through their minds?

We all finished our shift and sat in the rest room for a while after. No-one wanted to go home. It had been a very emotional day. Our thoughts went to the Control Room in New York. How would we have dealt with it? Losing all contact with your Command Units, fire appliances, senior officers.

It still feels very fresh even though it has been 5 years. There have been some comments on how long do remember something like this. At what point do you stop with the memorials? I don't know. What do you think?

2 comments:

Kal said...

The thing that gets me is that is a whole generation of people who are starting school this year who have not the first clue about the date's significance. I'd say give it ten years and it'll start to fade.

Michelle said...

It will stand for a few generations, although probably not for the reasons that first come to mind. Many promises were made by US government that day; and most of them broken, leaving the brave souls that risked their lives, in trouble because of what they suffered in the course of duty.

Saw a programe on TV about it a while ago ... near broke my heart. If someone is a good politician, it should automatically preclude them from governing the country.