September 11, 2001 - 10 Years Later

[CaptainCrunch]

"Are you guys ready? okay . . . Lets roll"

Todd Beamer

[doctajones428]

nm

[Domoic]

I was there.

At the time, I worked for Lehman Brothers in the World Financial Center (across the street from the towers). I was in building #3 (the tallest building remaining, the one with the pyramid on the roof (left) in the pic below). I was on the 31st floor.



Here is the reverse view (from the WTC to the WFC):



I was standing in an office facing the Towers after the 1st plane hit. We could see the hole in the north face of Tower 1, speculating on what we thought happened. And we can see people falling/jumping.

Then I saw plane #2 fly in and hit Tower 2.

I vividly remember how weird it was to see a plane look so big in the sky. It was so difficult to compute. Of course it looked big because it was so close but you just don't expect to see that.

My initial reaction was "wow, all sorts of planes are having problems today. I wonder why?".

My colleague, a native New Yorker - whose dad was NYPD and was there for the 1993 bombing - was not as naive as me. He grabs my shoulder and says, "we got to get the ###### out of here!!"

Then I suddenly realize that was no accident and I start to crap-bricks. My next thought was that, since I was in the next tallest building, the next plane was coming here.

We decide there is no time to waste and head to the elevator and skip the stairs. It was a calculated risk on our part. We get on and start to go down. The elevator opens and some woman gets on. The door is closing and she sticks out her arm and stops the door! She leans out to co-workers and says "are you coming?" in a calm voice. She clearly has NO IDEA what is going on outside. I grab her by her purse, pull her in, and yell "let's go!". She turns to me with an astonished look which quickly subsides as she sees the faces of us on the elevator, which must have been full of panic. She says nothing the rest of the way down.

Wanted to get the hell out of Manhattan, but not because I thought the towers would fall. Just because the scene was a total clsuter-f and you did not know if there was going to be anything else that may happen from a terrorist act or not.

Headed west to the Hudson to get on a ferry boat, closest and quickest way to get out of there. Got on the last one before they shut them down.

While on the ferry, Tower 2 fell. Tower 1 fell and did this to my building:



I am glad I got out of there. Pure luck.

I am still in NYC, but that was the last day I worked downtown.

[Daradon]

Thanks for sharing. Very sorry you had to go through that.

[worth]

If anyone has links to any good documentaries they have seen or watch this weekend, please post them up.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Domoic

I was there.

At the time, I worked for Lehman Brothers in the World Financial Center (across the street from the towers). I was in building #3 (the tallest building remaining, the one with the pyramid on the roof (left) in the pic below). I was on the 31st floor.



Here is the reverse view (from the WTC to the WFC):



I was standing in an office facing the Towers after the 1st plane hit. We could see the hole in the north face of Tower 1, speculating on what we thought happened. And we can see people falling/jumping.

Then I saw plane #2 fly in and hit Tower 2.

I vividly remember how weird it was to see a plane look so big in the sky. It was so difficult to compute. Of course it looked big because it was so close but you just don't expect to see that.

My initial reaction was "wow, all sorts of planes are having problems today. I wonder why?".

My colleague, a native New Yorker - whose dad was NYPD and was there for the 1993 bombing - was not as naive as me. He grabs my shoulder and says, "we got to get the ###### out of here!!"

Then I suddenly realize that was no accident and I start to crap-bricks. My next thought was that, since I was in the next tallest building, the next plane was coming here.

We decide there is no time to waste and head to the elevator and skip the stairs. It was a calculated risk on our part. We get on and start to go down. The elevator opens and some woman gets on. The door is closing and she sticks out her arm and stops the door! She leans out to co-workers and says "are you coming?" in a calm voice. She clearly has NO IDEA what is going on outside. I grab her by her purse, pull her in, and yell "let's go!". She turns to me with an astonished look which quickly subsides as she sees the faces of us on the elevator, which must have been full of panic. She says nothing the rest of the way down.

Wanted to get the hell out of Manhattan, but not because I thought the towers would fall. Just because the scene was a total clsuter-f and you did not know if there was going to be anything else that may happen from a terrorist act or not.

Headed west to the Hudson to get on a ferry boat, closest and quickest way to get out of there. Got on the last one before they shut them down.

While on the ferry, Tower 2 fell. Tower 1 fell and did this to my building:



I am glad I got out of there. Pure luck.

I am still in NYC, but that was the last day I worked downtown.

I'm curious about that last line. Did you not work downtown again due to relocation of your office or was it your decision to no longer work in that area? I can't imagine it was easy for people to go back to work in a lot of those buildings, and I can't even begin to imagine how scary it may be for some to go to work in the new tower when completed.

[FlameOn]

Apparently the Dept of Homeland Security is saying there are credible sources of terrorist activity, potentially a car/truck bombing, being planned on the anniversary. Security is being stepped up. Bad news if true.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14857416

[North East Goon]

I hope they are ramping up security efforts at all those football games that will be played on sunday? Better to be safe than sorry.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by FlameOn

Apparently the Dept of Homeland Security is saying there are credible sources of terrorist activity, potentially a car/truck bombing, being planned on the anniversary. Security is being stepped up. Bad news if true.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14857416

I'm honestly not that concerned, no more so than any other day. You keep an eye out for anything that looks extra suspicious, but to be honest there's not a ton you can do and I'm not going to live my life afraid of the possibility of something happening.

[Domoic]

Originally Posted by valo403

I'm curious about that last line. Did you not work downtown again due to relocation of your office or was it your decision to no longer work in that area? I can't imagine it was easy for people to go back to work in a lot of those buildings, and I can't even begin to imagine how scary it may be for some to go to work in the new tower when completed.

It was due to the relocation of our office.

6 days after 9/11, all employees reconvened in midtown Manhattan, as Lehman had basically taken over two Sheraton hotels. Some of us worked out of conference rooms, some out of hotel rooms.

It was the weirdest sight that Monday morning, as 7th Ave was lined with beds on the sidewalk - the hotel workers removing them from the rooms, replacing them with folding tables for "desks".

We did not do much work that first week (we had no computers or anything). But it was nice to see co-workers, confirm that all (but 1) made it out alive, and to start the healing process.

But it left a void – working everyday right beside the WTC gave me such energy – and then to have it erased in an instant?

I have been back to Ground Zero only a handful of times over the past decade, despite still living here. Going there makes me both sad and angry at the same time.

Closure has not come for me.

[Domoic]

Originally Posted by valo403

I'm honestly not that concerned, no more so than any other day. You keep an eye out for anything that looks extra suspicious, but to be honest there's not a ton you can do and I'm not going to live my life afraid of the possibility of something happening.

Totally agree.

Plus I get some satisfaction of "living my life in a normal fashion" - it is my personal way of giving the finger to terrorists.

It may be naive or stupid, but you couldn't live here if you didn't.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Domoic

Totally agree.

Plus I get some satisfaction of "living my life in a normal fashion" - it is my personal way of giving the finger to terrorists.

It may be naive or stupid, but you couldn't live here if you didn't.

Yep, that's one of the first things I picked up upon moving here, you can keep your guard up a bit without having fear or altering your life. It's actually a pretty great life lesson.

[worth]

What's your connection to Calgary if you don't mind me asking? Are you originally from here?

[Domoic]

Originally Posted by worth

What's your connection to Calgary if you don't mind me asking? Are you originally from here?

Me? Born and raised in Calgary.

My family had season tickets to the Flames since the Saddledome opened (they don't have them anymore). I went to high school just down the road (Western Canada High) and thus went to almost every home Flames game for years. Row 6!

Left Calgary after high school to attend univeristy in Ontario. Then moved to the US for my first job and never left.

I now have a Green Card.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by valo403

Yep, that's one of the first things I picked up upon moving here, you can keep your guard up a bit without having fear or altering your life. It's actually a pretty great life lesson.

I've been here for almost a decade and I don't think twice about it. The only time I admitted to being nervous was a few years ago there were a few seemingly specific and constant threats about the subways being targeted. Having to traverse the L under the river twice a day was a little unnerving that week. Other than that, there's not much you can do.

While it had nothing to do with me moving to a neighborhood here, living in Brooklyn does add a little extra peace of mind. Tourists are scared to cross the river, Manhattanites don't like to acknowledge it exists (until they eventually move here), and news outlets almost never give it any focus....so the chances of terrorists giving us attention is probably pretty slim in comparison.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I've been here for almost a decade and I don't think twice about it. The only time I admitted to being nervous was a few years ago there were a few seemingly specific and constant threats about the subways being targeted. Having to traverse the L under the river twice a day was a little unnerving that week. Other than that, there's not much you can do.

While it had nothing to do with me moving to a neighborhood here, living in Brooklyn does add a little extra peace of mind. Tourists are scared to cross the river, Manhattanites don't like to acknowledge it exists (until they eventually move here), and news outlets almost never give it any focus....so the chances of terrorists giving us attention is probably pretty slim in comparison.

How true, I helped a friend move last week and was a little concerned with her decision to move to Brooklyn until I saw the Equinox down the street. I figured any neighborhood with a $200+/month gym is probably pretty safe.

I also tend to perk up a bit more on the subway, the London attacks are still pretty fresh in my mind.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by valo403

How true, I helped a friend move last week and was a little concerned with her decision to move to Brooklyn until I saw the Equinox down the street. I figured any neighborhood with a $200+/month gym is probably pretty safe.

I used to feel that way (lived in Manhattan for 3 years before I moved across the river) too, but honestly I don't know anyone who's moved to Brooklyn from Manhattan and regretted it. The more I live here, the less I need Manhattan. So many great restaurants, bars, parks etc....and no tourists getting in the way (although we get ######ed hipsters, which is possibly worse). Once I moved to Brooklyn, there was no going back. It's a more livable version of the city while still having easy access to it.

Definitely a few neighborhoods were I'd stay away from though....

[Resolute 14]

I'm trying to avoid all of the 9/11 remembrance hype simply because it is getting so overloaded already - too much of a spectacle now.

But the real stories are interesting, Domoic's included.

Also, this: One of the first generation of female fighter pilots who was also a first responder from the military to take out Flight 93... without missiles:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/...ODK_story.html

The irony of the Air Force sending a pilot up on a suicide mission to stop another pilot on a suicide mission is noted. But they did what they had to.

[Table 5]

Just read that article myself. Absolutely stunning that with all the military resources this country has, it didn't have a couple of armed fighter jets ready to go for such a circumstance. Where the hell were those trillions of dollars going? 9/11 should not have been that massive of a surprise to people who are in charge of national security.

[CaptainCrunch]

The military was still designed around fighting the cold war, an apparent enemy and lots of time.