It was a beautiful day. Sunny, a few puffy clouds.
I was just off-shift, at my girlfriend's (now wife) house. I was pulling in to the driveway and heard on the radio a plane struck one of the towers. I went in, saw it and saw the second plane hit. My father was a block away.
Still in uniform, I got back in my car right behind USAR Task Force 1.
Most guys went to the station to get ready to roll-out, I went on my own to find my father.
I spent 3 days looking for my father.
The aftermath was unreal. One of my most stifling memories was coming over the Morris hill on Route 24 with my girlfriend/wife on the back of my motorcycle and the entire skyline was gray. Just debris hanging in the air.
Every single guy I knew at Engine 24/Ladder 5 was killed. Andy Brunn, a probie, it was his very first shift. Lt. Giamona, one of the funniest guys I've met; smart and loved practical jokes, regardless of the victim's rank.
What hurts me is the after-effects. So many of these guys have lung problems from breathing all of that crap in. It was so quiet for days after. The Search and Rescue dogs are sick now and receive no benefits, it is on the owner/handler to pay for their care. I realize that anyone born in 1996 and later has no clue what happened. they were too young to grasp the gravity of what was happening.
This is my first year working on the 11th, most of us would spend the day at the firehouse, quiet and comtemplative. Out of fire/rescue and in my current field, I have to be at work today.
I feel sick about it and had a tough time riding in today. I still cannot imagine what went through the peoples' minds that had to choose:
"Plummet to my death?"
"Burn to death?"
Those of us that had a job to do that day and the weeks afterwards have a very different perspective that those that try to play the blame game. Conspiracy theorists, talking heads, etc. No idea. Armchair quartebacking is easy when you have a nice cup of coffee and your feet up on an ottoman.
Do yourselves a favor and listen to Bruce Springsteen's "In to the Fire".
You'll get a better grasp of what it was like.