September 11, 2001- N.Y.C.

[N1SQB]

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the worse domestic attack on U.S.soil, that this country has ever seen. I don't think a single person alive today can forget where they were when these events took place. We could go on forever recounting the stories and experiences of that tragic day. Without a doubt, in a split second, this country, and the lives of each person changed forever. We have changed in many ways, the way we do business in this country. While there is so much that can and should be changed and / or improved, we are, I believe, a much more alert nation. Those whole idiologies and beliefs do not match our democratic way of living, tried to criple and destroy the spirit or our nation with these attacks. What they discovered, as did our nation and the world for that matter, is that the spirit of America and it's citizens could not and would not ever be destroyed. Whatever separated us as individuals before 9/11 was not seen in the weeks and months that followed. We were united by our human need and desire to help one another regardless of race, color, or creed. It was mankind helping mankind. Death knows no prejudice. It comes to any and all at some point in our lives. It came to nearly 3 thousand service men and women of the FDNY, NYPD,PORT AUTHORITY PD. NYC-EMS and many others on that tragic day. Regardless of race, color,creed, they all died selfishlessly doing what they had sworn to do, protect the lives of the people of NY. While memorials are a great tribute, the best way to honor these men and women who paid the ultimate price, is to remember what great service they performed day in and day out, and pay tribute to those who continue to put their lives on the line daily. Let's hope and pray that this nation and it's first responders never have to experience an event or a loss such as we witnessed on September 11, 2001, 10 years ago today.

Manny

 

[joetnymedic]

manny,
thank you for your post. as i reflect back on that day 10 years ago, I can't help but to feel sad for all those lives lost. there is a conslation for me however, while I feel sad, I als feel very proud both in my profession and in two people I knew that I lost that day. I also feel very proud to have been a public safety worker. FDNY and NYPD, PAPD, EMS and even the courts lost alot of people that day, while we have the numbers available to us for thse lost on 9/11/01, here it is 9/11//11 and that number still continues to grow daily as we lose more public safety workers who pass on from different respiratoty diseases, and cancers and even suicides from having to deal with the mental pain from that day. It really sucks in plain simple english. While it might sound very spiteful, I do take satisfaction in the fact that this past year Osama Bin Laden, the so called mastermind behind the attacks that day caught a couple of bulletts from our Seal Team. I know in my heart, and believe me you know that I am not very religious, that God wouldn't want me thinking like that, but it is how I truly feel. That said however, as I stated early on. I can't help but to feel pride in my profession. as many were running out of those towers that day in fear, our brothers and sisters in several branches of public safety were running in to those very same towers, to save people and to treat the injured. Chris Blackwell was a volunteer firefighter from CT, he was also a medic with Danbury Ambulance. I knew Chris from my days there at Danbury and although we didn't always see eye to eye on things, at the end of the day Chris was always a stand up guy, a professional and a hero. Chris lost his life that day because he was doing the job he loved, working in FDNY's Elite Rescue 3. I'd be willing to bet, that even with all the chaos that was going on, when he got to the towers, Chris entered those buildings without so much as even batting an eyelash, because that's what he did, his job was in him and part of him. Another persn lost that day worked at the same place I did at the end of my career, and although I didn't directly know her, I knew quite abit about her before and so much more after that day. Yamel Marino was an EMT with MetroCare Ambulance. Yamel also went into those towers to go to a triage areas set up in one of the lobbys to evaluate and stablize those that were injured. She loved her job as many of us do/did and she left a small child behind. These are just two of the many public safety workers that passed on that day. I'm sure that many of us on these boards knew many others. I just wanted to share what I knew about these two great examples of selfless people that gave their lives that day. I know radio reference doesn't like to have non-radio related stuff posted (and I by no means am disrespecting this board). I just truly wish that there were a section so that people could post stories about people who passed that day. Each and every one of them were unique individuals and I'm sure their friends would want to share a bit about them and let us learn about them. Anyway, I am going to end with this, I will truly miss those that I knew that passed that day and also the other public safety workers that we lost. But like I also said, thru all this sadness, I can't help but to be proud to have been a part of that family. While others were running,out, my brothers and sisters were running in. They gave of themselves and gave their own lives in the process so that others could live and while I am definately sad that they lost their lives they did so laying down their life for the life of another person. RIP my brothers and sisters. You may be gone but you will never be forgotten....