Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: I am a retired USAF Firefighter.(30 years) In my retirement I travel around the country teaching assorted classes about Hazardous Materials, Aircraft Rescue & Firefighting, and Chemical and Biological Weapons Awareness. I had recently returned from teaching in New Orleans and remember sitting in on a presentation about terrorism conducted by an associate. We have been training and anticipating an attack for over ten years, expecting a nerve gas attack like what happened in Tokyo, or a bombing like Oklahoma City. On September 11, 2001, I was in San Francisco California to teach a class about Bloodborne Pathogens. I was awakened by a phone call from my co-instructor who said "turn on the TV,airplanes are crashing into the World Trade Center." I was not surprised at the attack, as I had known for some time that there are Islamic Radicals preaching hatred and violence directed at American "infidels". I was totally shocked at the cold hearted, and savage disregard for innocent lives as these cowardly terrorists turned commercial airplanes into cruise missiles. I immediately called my wife at my home in Sacramento California and told her to turn on the TV. I told her that I was concerned the next targets were associated with the Nation's Infrastructure...(Dams, power plants, etc). Our class was cancelled, all my students were police and firefighters recalled to their duty stations. I gathered training samples of Personal Protective equipment (Tyvek Gowns, and T.B. masks, goggles, etc) for myself and co-instructor. I drove back to Sacramento California via San Jose California due to rumors about bridges being targets. The hardest thing for me to do after that was getting on an airplane the next week. I had to teach at an aircraft safety symposium in Santa Monica, CA. I remembered President Bush saying that we have to go on with normal living or the "bad guys" will have won... The night before my presentation I looked out of my hotel window into the Los Angeles skies. I watched countless airplanes landing at the airport. I remember praying for the people in each airplane...I thought "there is no reason for them to hate us".. I tried with all my heart to not hate Islamics.... My heart tells me that this is a faction of evil like nazis... I know war is ugly, but I wished I was younger so I could actively participate in protecting my Nation and its People. I was most impressed at the Symposium. There were people from all over Europe, Australia, New Zealand there to learn about aircraft safety and terrorism... Needless to say the primary focus shifted on terrorism.. The moderator and host is a man from Germany... He said America has given much to the world and now it is time for all nations to rally for the USA. He then led the Pledge of Allegiance. It was heart wearming to see and hear our Pledge being recited in the many accents belonging to the multinational voices in that auditorium............... James R. Anderson McClellan AFB Fire Department (Retired) Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting Working Group Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story6233.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-12 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 205.188.209.38