story7474.xml

story7474.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-15

I am a Detective Sergeant with the Woodbridge Police Department. Our Township is directly across the Arthur Kill waterway from Staten Island NY. It is approximately a 20 - 25 minute ride into Manhattan. I was at my desk at work that morning when I heard the first report of a plane "accident" on the radio. I thought, as those around me did, that the radio was playing a practical joke. However, in a few minutes I realized this sounded too real. I went to a news website on the internet to see a picture of the first tower burning. I was very upset, not believing that it was an accident. I began telling others in the office when I heard that a second plane had hit the second tower. I was now devastated, angry, upset. I went down to our Emergency Management Office to see the news reports. The room was full with approximately 25 - 30 Officers, and several civilians. There wasn't a sound from anyone. Is this a dream? Unfortunately we all knew it wasn't. In a few minutes our world changed dramatically. We were all thinking about people we know at Ground Zero. Were they safe? Then the first tower collapsed. We now knew that there would be an enormous loss of life. The second tower collapsed. We knew we must go help. Many of us went to Manhattan in the folowing days to do whatever was necessary. The site was worse than anyone could ever imagine. All of those working at Ground Zero ARE truly heroes in every sense of the word.
We will never forget 9/11/01.
God Bless America.