story1441.xml

story1441.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-08-24

I was working the morning of September 11,20001. I was first told by a worker in my building that a plane had hit one eof the towers of the World Trade CEnter in Manhattan. remember feeling and thinking this must have a tragic accident. Isoon realized that our country was under attack. I had family that worked in lower Manhattan, in fact I grew up in "the city that never sleeps". I felt scared frightened for my children, and tremendously sad for all the families that must be worried about their loved ones. That afternoon I was glued to the television set waiting for news of recoveries. You see I am a registerd nurse trained to save lives. For the next two days I remember feeling helpless. Many were collecting supplies to send to the rescue workers and baking cookies. Since I do not bake I knew there was something that I must be able to do. On the third day I counted my blessings, that my six children were all safe and that my family was safe as well. The next day September 14th I took the Long Island railroad into the city. I approached a police officer and identified my self as an R.N. He directed me to the Javitz center. So on foot I went. I headed southdown 34th street. I suddenly felt as if I was wathcing a movie being made. There were helicopters all around, soliders, law enforcement officials putting on their vests. Again when I arrved at Javitz center I identified my self and showed my credentials. There i met doctors from around the world and rescue workers that came from as far as France. there were fire fighters, nurses doctors, iron workers construction workers from every trade. I was overwhelemed by what I was witnessing. This was true American spirit and the spirit of of humanity. I remember feeling such a sense of pride just to be among these incrdible individuals. At some point maybe an hour or two later there was an announcement made for all medical personnel to "grab your gear". Gear consisted of boots, gloves, mask, hard hat, a flashlight, googles and any other protective equipment possible. I was asked if I wanted to go on a ship as medical personnel or to ground zero. My answer without question or pause was ground zero. A short time later, there was a call... "we are taking the first medical team down"... so I quickly ran by passing others. Ther was this military bus with a convoy heading down to ground zero. Befor boarding you had to first show medical I.D..The bus was packed out with doctors and nurses. WE were told "you go down at your own risk, there are no gaurentees". I knew at that moment that, that was where I needed to be. As we headed down west side highway, the crowds were massive. God bless those people that held up signs and yelled "THANK YOU". The emotions were of great pride for my fellow Americans. Soon we arrived at ground zero. My mind, my eyes will never forget the sights that I saw on that day, nor the smells of burned debrie and the smell of death that was everywhere. I was sent into a local school that was set up as a triage center. we unloaded supplies. I tried to familiarize my self with as much as I could as this was a "make shift" emergency area. We made up teams two nurses to one doctor. then we made teams for outside and inside response. when it was my turn to go outside we surveyed the area. All the surrounding buildings looked unstable and so later they prooved to be. The hours passed and we waited to get knews that some one was still alive. We provided acare for the rescue workers who were exhausted, suffering from dehydration. There were family members who would not leave the site and were collapsing with hopless despair. Some time in the early hours of the morning a certain city official desided to close down the triage areas. I then hithched a ride in a police van to the subway and the took the train home. I was so keyed up that I could'nt sleep the next day. I could not get the images out of my mind nor will I ever. The loss of life, the smell of death, the destruction of my beautiful city where I grew up, went to college, and gave birth to four of my children. My heart would not allow me to turn my back on the city that gave me so much... and so with that I returned on my day off. At this time security was becoming a little more intense. So again I showed my credentials, but that didn't seem to be enough. I explained that my ex-brother in law was a friend of the mayors and that could call Guiliani themselves. With that the construction workers were yelling let her in "she's a nurse". So I assisted with medial treatments and provding supplies to the guys working on the "pile". Still there was no news of any rescues. It was clear that the air quality was not good,but no one hesitated for a minute to do their job.......And so the days passed and I contined to go down to ground zero. The morgue was now set up next to the Amercan Express building. The fire fighters that were there would mot leave they slept on the ground, they looked dazed and were tired. A few "do-gooders" tried to councel these guys... but they were in shock they had lost brothers, fathers, friends. And so they eventually hung a sign, actually sray painted on the building "SECOND RESCUE ATTEMPT COMPLETED SEPTEMBER 22nd". After that there was little hope of anyone being found alive, though it was not official. I continued to voluteer, but mow Red Cross was taking over triage and so I volunteered with them until the last week in November. Patients were triaged and the transported to FEMA. These doctors would then treat or release depending on the medical urgence, There were those workers who recieved burns from welding, lacerations, sores on there feet from working day after day or someone perhaps having a heart attack from all the stress of working there. Soon Fema left and DMAT took over . I still worked with red cross triaging patients. In late November I met a paramedic who told me that DMAT was leaving and that MEDCOR would be doing all the on site medical treatments, and RED Cross would complete ther sevicesthe end of the month. I startrd woring with MEDCOR in early December. We provided care dor the recovery project at ground zero. this included all special agents, law enforcement, construction, any one that was on the site. We were physically located next to medical examiners trailer, nypd and fdny. I am so proud to say were worked closely togetherfor the next several months. We laughed and cried and shared our thoughts and feeling, we worked together 24/7 slept together, ate together. We had formed some bond that we always be there. And so it is with great pride that I worked at ground zero until June 29th, the day the recovery project came to an end. I can also say that no other Registerd Nurse In the United States Of America was able to be at ground zero for nine and a half months and I am proud to have served my country.