Why We Remember 9/11

A few days before this past September 11, 2018, one of my EMS managers came into my office prompted by a recent e-mail I’d sent out to our staff reminding them of the dress code expected for that day. He asked why we get dressed up on 9/11 every year since 2001.

Ever since that fateful day, we’ve implemented a dress uniform on the anniversary of 9/11 as a show of respect for those who paid the ultimate price for helping others. At first, I found his question to be disrespectful. I quickly realized that this young man was probably a child with limited memory of that day and really did not know why we need to remember it.

I came to find out he was a sophomore in high school on September 11, 2001. His memory of that day is that he was dismissed early and had a few days off before returning to the same daily routine. I explained that on 9/11, I was close to the age he is today. I told him my memory of that day is crystal clear. The sights and sounds, the panic, and uncertainty stick with you.

I told him that the day started with bright sunshine and summerlike weather. My wife had just left for work with my then-only son to drop him off at her mom’s house. I was getting ready for my day and had CNN on TV.

I walked past the screen a few times and saw one of the towers smoking. The headline read “Plane Strikes World Trade Center Tower.” I thought, how can a pilot crash his plane into the World Trade Center? It’s so large you can’t miss it. I assumed it had been a small-engine plane.

I stopped for gas on my way into the office. As I listened to the local radio station, a live caller described what he could see. He then gasped and said another plane had crashed into the other tower! He said it was a large plane like a commercial airliner. The radio host quickly jumped in and said that the station could neither confirm or deny this man’s report.

When I arrived at the office, there were a lot of questions and concerns about the World Trade Center, and then it was confirmed that two commercial airplanes had crashed into the towers. In an instant, that beautiful day turned dark. Television reports flooded in about several hijacked planes and many injuries at the World Trade Center. We’d not heard about a hijacking in the U.S. for a long time.

When the towers collapsed on live TV, I was standing in our dispatch center not believing what I was seeing. Off-duty employees began calling in to find out if they could help in any way. We took any employee who called in up on their request to help. We started mobilizing in anticipation of helping our colleagues in New York City.

My proudest moment in all my years was on 9/11/01. So many employees came to work to help, not knowing what they would be asked to do, where they would go, how long they would be out, and what they would find. We deployed teams to Liberty State Park in Jersey City, PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, Highlands Ferry Crossing, and the Wall Speedway through coordination with our state OEM. These were destination sites for the hundreds of injured expected to come to New Jersey by air or ground transport for treatment.

Several ambulances departed our main office—one right after the other—and responded to their deployment points. After many hours, it was apparent that no patients would be coming across into New Jersey, and for the most part, the World Trade Center site would be a recovery mission. Eventually, all deployed units were recalled to our main office. Although we did process many at the Highlands Ferry Crossing station who escaped from the city covered in debris with cuts and bruises, the thought of so many people dying when the towers collapsed was simply unfathomable.

When the employees returned, we held a debriefing in our conference room. I could see the sadness and dejection on their faces. These men and women came in expecting to help people and there was no one to help. I thanked them all for coming in so quickly and we went our separate ways. The sky was very dark and quiet that night on my drive home. As I drove down my street, my wife and son were standing in the driveway next door to our house with a few neighbors. My wife, pregnant at the time with our second son, made me wonder what kind of world we were bringing him into, and what the future would bring.

My kids, young men now but too young to remember, are very aware of what happened that day. As my kids grew up, they were always reminded of the impact of that day, either seeing their dad in dress uniform standing with them at the bus stop, or watching the History Channel showing live-feed remembrances from the day. They know how important it is to me to never forget.

These memories of that day, the ultimate sacrifices made by so many to help those they did not know, the hundreds of innocent people who died, and the loss of our country's innocence is why I told this young manager we remember September 11, 2001.

Jeff Behm, MBA, FACPE, is chief operating officer for MONOC Mobile Health Services in New Jersey.