Where was I?
Where was I on the morning of September 11, 2001. At 0600 HRS. I had just been relieved off of my watch on Medic 101/C by the day watch and headed home for some sleep. After some breakfast I went to sleep.
At 0900 HRS. I was awakened by my pager and the message simply said: "ERT ON ALERT. CNN." Still half asleep, I turned my television on and I was left as if a one-hundred pound weight had been placed on my chest. For a moment I could not breathe. I had trained with NYPD ESU. I had many friends who were firefighters with the Rescue Companies. I had many friends who were public servants in NYC. I was left dumbounded. I was numb.
Then the anger came. Then the rage came. The warrior began showing it's ugly head and I knew that I would be going to war...but that is another story unto itself.
Twenty minutes after I had been watching the live television newscast, my cell phone rang. It was my reserve unit. I was being mobilized on an emergency basis for security operations in the port of New York. I was going to war sooner than I thought...
On that morning, I can distinctly remember thinking that we were at war. I had a close friend in NYC and I called to make sure she was OK. She said that she was fine and was staying inside. I told her to get out of NY and back to North Carolina where her family was. She refused and said she would be fine. I can still remember my words: "Don't be a f'cking idiot. We are at war, and we don't know when we will be hit again. Now get pack a d'mn bag, get in your d'mn car and get the hell out of NYC NOW!"
Eight hours after the initial attacks I was in NYC attached to a Coast Guard Port Security Unit and we were boarding ships that were already in the harbor as well as providing waterside security. We had live ammo. We have live weapons. There was no mistake that we were at war. There was no doubt that we were on a war footing.
Finally, after our first twelve hour tour I went to Ground Zero. In my uniform I passed through the checkpoints and made it to Ground Zero. I asked someone where Rescue Five was. The tired firefighter simply pointed to the collapsed buildings and walked away. I felt cold inside. I was empty. I was numb...I wanted justice. I wanted blood.
For three days we provided security. Navy ships moved into the area also. On my off hours I was at Ground Zero. I averaged two hours a sleep a night between the security mission and helping with the recovery efforts. Many a tear was shed.
After three days of security operations in NYC, I was ordered to report to Virginia for an active duty assignment. My orders had been cut...I was going to war...
Nothing has changed since then...we are still at war. Why can't people see that?
At 0900 HRS. I was awakened by my pager and the message simply said: "ERT ON ALERT. CNN." Still half asleep, I turned my television on and I was left as if a one-hundred pound weight had been placed on my chest. For a moment I could not breathe. I had trained with NYPD ESU. I had many friends who were firefighters with the Rescue Companies. I had many friends who were public servants in NYC. I was left dumbounded. I was numb.
Then the anger came. Then the rage came. The warrior began showing it's ugly head and I knew that I would be going to war...but that is another story unto itself.
Twenty minutes after I had been watching the live television newscast, my cell phone rang. It was my reserve unit. I was being mobilized on an emergency basis for security operations in the port of New York. I was going to war sooner than I thought...
On that morning, I can distinctly remember thinking that we were at war. I had a close friend in NYC and I called to make sure she was OK. She said that she was fine and was staying inside. I told her to get out of NY and back to North Carolina where her family was. She refused and said she would be fine. I can still remember my words: "Don't be a f'cking idiot. We are at war, and we don't know when we will be hit again. Now get pack a d'mn bag, get in your d'mn car and get the hell out of NYC NOW!"
Eight hours after the initial attacks I was in NYC attached to a Coast Guard Port Security Unit and we were boarding ships that were already in the harbor as well as providing waterside security. We had live ammo. We have live weapons. There was no mistake that we were at war. There was no doubt that we were on a war footing.
Finally, after our first twelve hour tour I went to Ground Zero. In my uniform I passed through the checkpoints and made it to Ground Zero. I asked someone where Rescue Five was. The tired firefighter simply pointed to the collapsed buildings and walked away. I felt cold inside. I was empty. I was numb...I wanted justice. I wanted blood.
For three days we provided security. Navy ships moved into the area also. On my off hours I was at Ground Zero. I averaged two hours a sleep a night between the security mission and helping with the recovery efforts. Many a tear was shed.
After three days of security operations in NYC, I was ordered to report to Virginia for an active duty assignment. My orders had been cut...I was going to war...
Nothing has changed since then...we are still at war. Why can't people see that?
posted by Jim at 9/11/2004 05:45:00 PM
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