9/11 - 15th anniversary

[ten ocho recon scout]

There a ton of things burned into memory after that. The missing people pics spread across new York in the weeks after. Being a huge one.

To this day, whenever I'm at a fire and I hear those alarms the fire guys carry going off, 9/11 always pops in my head. 

Basically it's a device that gives off an annoying chirp if the firefighter doesn't move for longer than a minute or so. It's so they can find each other in the dark (smoke). Not sure if there's footage out there anymore, but I remember seeing video of the rubble after the collapse and hearing those chirps times 1000 coming from the debris. 

If anyones ever in NYC, aside from the memorial, I would recommend at least checking out one of the fire houses. Most at least in Manhatten lost a few guys that day. A few lost a bunch. They've all got memorials to the guys they lost that day. 

[ten ocho recon scout]

That's from a house in mid town Manhattan. Distinction because every guy that worked that station (that day) died. 

Can't even imagine. Fire, like PD, are generally close knit. Your family's know each other (if you're married, kids, etc). So if you were married to a guy there, you lost more than one guy that day who was "family"

[Stradling]

What an emotional day in our nations capital.  Saw the changing of the guard, a truly emotional ceremony.  It was the first time I'd heard Taps since my dads funeral last year.  I wish I could have experienced it with my family instead of friends from work.  

[ten ocho recon scout]

https://mikelamonica.wordpress.com/2011/09/02/ten-years-later-can-you-still-hear-the-beeping/

That's the chirping noise I was talking about. I still get an eerie feeling when I hear it at work

[CaliAngel]

It is impossible for me to watch more than 10 seconds of that footage.

[gotbeer]

9/11 memorial on Los Angeles college campus trashed and vandalized

 

Giant meteor can't get here fast enough.

[ten ocho recon scout]

3 hours ago, gotbeer said:

9/11 memorial on Los Angeles college campus trashed and vandalized

 

Giant meteor can't get here fast enough.

The shit part is that it was our own people that did it...

[CaliAngel]

I don't understand, what happened to policy "if you don't like it here, leave"?

[Amazing Larry]

On 9/9/2016 at 11:48 AM, Adam said:

I no longer have any emotional attachment toward it. The world is a dangerous place. Really bad shit happens. 

Over the years I've grown more and more numb to it and other terrorist acts in general.

[HaloNArizona]

The memory is still too real.  My wife was pregnant with our youngest son, he was born on the 17th of September.  We recently lost a close friend due to cancer. She was living in New York at the time of the attack and on the 10 year anniversary shared her story at a memorial event held on the court house plaza here in Prescott.  It was an amazing tearful story that brought forth some fantastic human spirit.

Our local high school held a 9/11 memorial, they honored those who lost their lives (placed small flags around the flag pole) and those who still put their lives in harms way (first responders).  The ceremony was closed by my son (the same one who was not yet born), who played taps.  Very cool ceremony.

[Amazing Larry]

If you want to see some real sad stuff go to the ground zero memorial/museum. It is the most somber place I've ever been in my life. There's an exhibit where you can pick up a phone and on the other end of the line are people in their offices leaving messages for their loved ones saying that there's been an explosion and they might not make it. There are mangled fire trucks, burnt shoes and even a Girl Scout Brownies uniform belonging to a little girl from Orange County. Some of the artifacts like cell phones and driver's licenses really put a time stamp on when the incident happened.

The size of the "tub" is bewildering. I saw it back in the day when it was all cleared out and they were starting to rebuild the PATH station. It's massive. Also when you look at the top of the new WTC 1 tower you realize people had a long time to think as they were falling from the original buildings.

If you ever visit the site be sure to go to the new observation deck at WTC 1. Get the VIP tickets. They're only $20 more but they get you a floor above the rest of the crowd with much more freedom to walk around. There's a limited bar selection and on a clear day you can almost see to Connecticut. Much happier vibe at the top of the tower than the museum below.

[HaloNArizona]

16 minutes ago, Lawrence said:

If you want to see some real sad stuff go to the ground zero memorial/museum. It is the most somber place I've ever been in my life. There's an exhibit where you can pick up a phone and on the other end of the line are people in their offices leaving messages for their loved ones saying that there's been an explosion and they might not make it. There are mangled fire trucks, burnt shoes and even a Girl Scout Brownies uniform belonging to a little girl from Orange County. Some of the artifacts like cell phones and driver's licenses really put a time stamp on when the incident happened.

The size of the "tub" is bewildering. I saw it back in the day when it was all cleared out and they were starting to rebuild the PATH station. It's massive. Also when you look at the top of the new WTC 1 tower you realize people had a long time to think as they were falling from the original buildings.

If you ever visit the site be sure to go to the new observation deck at WTC 1. Get the VIP tickets. They're only $20 more but they get you a floor above the rest of the crowd with much more freedom to walk around. There's a limited bar selection and on a clear day you can almost see to Connecticut. Much happier vibe at the top of the tower than the museum below.

We were in NY a few years ago, right after the museum opened up...did not make it inside, but the memorial outside and in the church was extremely moving.  Hard to imagine what those folks went through.

[Tank]

making the decision to jump . . . can't imagine. i suppose the upside is that you know it'll be over in seconds whereas burning to death or suffocating would take much longer and be a lot more painful.

may none of us ever have to face such a choice.

[Adam]

Well...most of us

[ten ocho recon scout]

That second on is real sad....trying to reach the command post units after the collapse, no answer...

Has everyone seen that naudet brothers documentary, with the footage inside during the collapse?

[ten ocho recon scout]

 

[ten ocho recon scout]

5 hours ago, calscuf said:

I also find the conspiracy theorists to be so detestable that they should be publicly outted and have the shit kicked out of them by surviving NY firefighters and men who lost family in the attack.

I've actually read some idiots out there saying fdny people were in on it...there's even those who claim the naudet brothers were part of the conspiracy...pretty ballsy to go into a building supposedly packed with explosives to sell the plan...

The video clip I posted above, that chief profiled lost his brother that day (another firefighter). So either he's a horrible brother, or just wasn't part of the conspiracy.

[CaliAngel]

Hindsight is 20/20, but I cannot for the life of me understand what made them think hanging out inside of a burning building that's 1,300 feet tall was a good idea. What the hell were they doing in there? I've never been a part of the fire department or law enforcement, but even if I was I feel like I'd be telling everyone there's no reason we belong in here while the buildings are on fire. That's just me with my immediate instinct. And I'm not just looking out for myself, but every other person that's in the building. Let's make a plan outside then maybe come in if it sounds feasible, but standing around in the lobby?

No frickin' way.

[Kevin]

12 hours ago, CaliAngel said:

Hindsight is 20/20, but I cannot for the life of me understand what made them think hanging out inside of a burning building that's 1,300 feet tall was a good idea. What the hell were they doing in there? I've never been a part of the fire department or law enforcement, but even if I was I feel like I'd be telling everyone there's no reason we belong in here while the buildings are on fire. That's just me with my immediate instinct. And I'm not just looking out for myself, but every other person that's in the building. Let's make a plan outside then maybe come in if it sounds feasible, but standing around in the lobby?

No frickin' way.

I remember being shocked when the first building came down. I'll bet I'm not the only one, especially when everyone was already in shock about what happened at 8:46 A.M. and 9:03 A.M. 

 

I just don't think anyone thought they would come down. 

[ten ocho recon scout]

I wonder if the first one never collapsed (or had been hit to begin with) if the other tower (first hit) would have "survived". I imagine the seismic force from the first collapse and the debris slamming into the side of it had an effect on the continual weakening of the second one to fall.

I think if they thought it would collapse, they would have pulled out. It sounds messed up, but it becomes a question of what good can we do if we die too. But most interviews I've read, the fire guys assumed the buildingsame would stand and they just had to put out the fires.

[ten ocho recon scout]

Couple of pictures that stand out. The first is of the firefighters lost that day. When you read 343 it sounds bad, but seeing that picture puts it into more perspective (at least for me)

the second, in case no one has ever heard about it, is of Steve Buscemi the actor. He was a firefighter before he got into acting, and went back to his old station after the attacks to volunteer. To my knowledge he's never given an interview about it. He's on the far left

[Lou]

14 hours ago, Adam said:

Well...most of us

Still have the list? 

[Tank]

This is the tribute bike made by Orange County Choppers for the firefighters that died on 9/11. The object you see welded on top of the gas tank is a bolt from one of the twin towers.

[red321]

http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a48031/the-falling-man-tom-junod/

 

Esquire article on "The Falling Man" about one of the images from 9/11, someone in mid-air after jumping. Article does include images. Quite powerful, both the images and words regarding the taking of the image, how they were received, and the search for "The Falling Man".

 

In the picture, he departs from this earth like an arrow. Although he has not chosen his fate, he appears to have, in his last instants of life, embraced it. If he were not falling, he might very well be flying. He appears relaxed, hurtling through the air. He appears comfortable in the grip of unimaginable motion. He does not appear intimidated by gravity's divine suction or by what awaits him. His arms are by his side, only slightly outriggered. His left leg is bent at the knee, almost casually. His white shirt, or jacket, or frock, is billowing free of his black pants. His black high-tops are still on his feet. In all the other pictures, the people who did what he did—who jumped—appear to be struggling against horrific discrepancies of scale. They are made puny by the backdrop of the towers, which loom like colossi, and then by the event itself. Some of them are shirtless; their shoes fly off as they flail and fall; they look confused, as though trying to swim down the side of a mountain. The man in the picture, by contrast, is perfectly vertical, and so is in accord with the lines of the buildings behind him. 

[Spirit]

I usually watch the 9/11 shows on its anniversary.  This year (for whatever reason) I had problems watching it.  And it was fear of seeing the people falling/jumping out of the building that made it difficult.  I'm not really sure why.  The planes hitting didn't mess with me ... but the people falling/jumping did.

Just thought I'd share.

 

 

I'll show myself out now.

 

 

Edited September 15, 2016 by Geoff