What To Do On 9/11?

rimrocker · Sep 11, 2014

Don't watch TV and see people try to exploit that day for their own ends. Read about the people that tried to make a difference.

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packag...12_WTC_GRAPHIC/met_WTC_histories_full_01.html

Here are some excerpts from one of the stories (Mark Stone). His whole dialogue is worth reading, as are many others.

I was the last one out of 1 World Trade Center. I made it about halfway across West Street and I was just stepping into the street off the center median when I heard what is going to be instilled in my memory forever; a sound that combines a railroad car, an airplane, a fighter jet and thunder.

I looked up and I saw the World Trade Center falling down. Number 1 World Trade Center was coming down. Number 2, I couldn't even really be sure at that point. One of the buildings was falling on my head. I said oh, my god. You really only had a split second to make a decision.

I could have ran left, I could have ran right, which would have been north or south on West Street, but I looked right in front of me and I was looking at the command post where I saw all the senior Chiefs. I saw Chief Kowalczyk. I saw Chief Gombo and there was, in the American
Express building, in the World Financial Center, there was actually an underground garage and I don't know why I chose that garage, but I chose to run straight ahead for the garage.

I must have made it in -- I don't know whether I was in 10, 20, 30, 50, 100 feet. I know I wasn't in far, but all of a sudden just a woosh and a thrush, just, I started getting hit by debris. I got picked up and started being thrown. We were tripping over each other; firemen, Chiefs, Captains, Lieutenants, EMTs. I don't know if there were any EMTs, I should not say that. We just got thrown, and everything went black and it was almost silent.

Right at that moment I saw my two kids. I saw my father who passed away. I was actually in the air flying along and it was only, I guess, maybe a second, and I said to myself my god, that's it, it's over, because it was black and it was silent.

Then I hit the ground. Then stuff was just piling on top of me. As soon as I hit, I fell on my shoulder. I got an excruciating pain. So I said to myself -- this is all within a second this is going on through my mind. I said to myself, I said, you are not dead because there is no pain in heaven.

I feel this excruciating pain running down my arm. Now I'm getting hit in the back of my head and everything and thank god I had my helmet on.

…

At that point I said out loud, I said, okay, let me get my thoughts together. We got to go back to work. One of the firemen looked at me and he said are you stupid. I said yes. In this case I must be.

…

At that point we didn't know really what the outcome of this whole thing was going to be, but we decided real quick that we needed to put together a plan because there is still a monumental incident ahead of us. I was just trying to keep my composure at that point, because I still had a job to do.

…

We were standing in the corner of West Street and Vesey Street, and I heard that rumble again, that roar, that thunder, and I said dear god, I almost died once. God can't be letting this happen to me again. I looked up. This is how I know 2 fell first. I looked up and it was happening again. 1 World Trade Center was falling on my head now.

…

It hit this time, but the difference was when it hit was because we were outside, it was just a deep dark gray rather than pitch black. Things were hitting us, but it was more dust, just more of the construction dust at this point. I was still running but I couldn't see and we were tripping…

…

I just didn't know what I was going to do at that point. I didn't know what my thoughts were. I was just sort of in a daze. Two 110 story buildings fell on my head so to speak. I was trapped before.

I don't like using the word trapped because the fallen firefighters, police officers, they are trapped, and they are dead. That's not a good word. I was just entangled for a little while. Then I was able to thank god extricate myself from, you know.

…

I saw strong men have to cry that day.
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Buck Turgidson · Sep 11, 2014

I'm going to finish some of this paperwork, then I'm going to take a nap, then the gang and I are going dove hunting at dawn, then I'm cooking burgers and drinking beers, then I'm going to check on the cows, then I'm going to pick the garden, then I'm going to change the oil in the Willy's, then I'm going to take a nap, then I'm going dove hunting with the gang in the afternoon, then I'm going to cook ??? and drink some beers, then I'm going to take a nap, then I'm going to wake up and it'll be the 12th.

America, **** Yeah.

Invisible Fan · Sep 11, 2014

This is the least important part of her account, but it caught my eye.

Other than -- maybe we treated a couple of eyes injuries, cops that were coming out. There was one cop that was actually crying blood. There was blood dripping down from his eyes and later I found out, the doctor explained to me that when you get concrete in your eyes it becomes rock and when you close your eyes, your cornea, your eye is bleeding. So I guess -- we just flushed the eyes and they kept going.
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http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/nyregion/20050812_WTC_GRAPHIC/9110463.PDF

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