On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, as the nation watched the horror of three terrorist attacks, disbelief, vulnerability, and anger enveloped the American people, while an overwhelming desire to respond and assist those in need overtook the first responder community. Within hours, Oakland County Sheriff Michael J. Bouchard and Royal Oak Police Chief Theodore H. Quisenberry contacted New York officials and developed a plan to send representatives from Oakland County law enforcement agencies to the World Trade Center site with emergency supplies and trained personnel for on-site response and recovery assistance. Before nightfall, a team of 25 deputy sheriffs and police officers from four agencies, along with a semi-truck of needed supplies, left for New York. By midday on September 12, 2001, the supplies arrived in Manhattan and were distributed while the Oakland County law enforcement contingent prepared for assignment by the NYPD and the FBI at Ground Zero. Alongside other responders, they searched for victims, managed evidence, and provided site security. The next day, five additional deputies arrived to join the effort. For one week, these deputies and police officers worked long hours under extremely challenging and emotional conditions, responding without knowing the risk, what they would encounter, how long the mission would be, or whether and how their own needs would be met. Those who answered the call included Oakland County Sheriff's Office Sheriff Michael J. Bouchard, Undersheriff Thomas E. Quisenberry, Captain Damon Shields, Lieutenant Timmy Atkins, Deputy John Kress, Deputy William Storm, Deputy Carlos Henao, Deputy Roger St. Jean, Deputy Stuart Rich, Lieutenant Douglas Molinar, Deputy Rob Charlton, Deputy Randy Huston, Deputy Thomas Poulin, Deputy Arthur Schrah, Deputy Richard Cook, Auburn Hills Police Department Lieutenant Thomas Hardesty, Sergeant Michael O'Hala, Detective Michael Thomas, Officer Richard Leonard, Officer James Stoinski, Lake Angelus Police Department Chief Dan Black, Officer Jeffrey Kirby, Officer James Walker, Officer Robert Wertz, Officer Rodney Brown, Officer David Castle, Royal Oak Police Department Sergeant Dana Welch, Officer Robert Reilly, Officer Andrew Izydorek, and Officer Perry Edgell.