Within minutes of Flight 11 striking the World Trade Center, New York City's police, firefighters, EMTs, citizens, physicians and nurses, ham radio operators, volunteer ambulance personnel, and many other civilians responded to devastation amid fires and toxic debris. A command center and five triage areas were established, while the Federal Aviation Administration grounded all aircraft in the continental USA. In northern Virginia, the immediate response at the Pentagon allowed complete evacuation of the fourth and fifth floors before parts of the building fell. Overall, the NYPD helped evacuate 5000 people from Lower Manhattan. When the World Trade Center collapsed, many responders were killed; in all, 343 firefighters, 23 police officers, 37 Port Authority Police, and 8 emergency medical personnel died while working to save others. September 11, 2001 claimed 2977 victims, but the dedicated efforts of responders saved countless lives.

Photo: Devry Becker Jones

Wayne Heights, Pennsylvania · USA