911 In New York City

by Silvia Montanarella 

September 11, 2001 is a date that has been burned into our collective psyche. Each of us remembers exactly where we were, what we were doing and who we were with, on that terrible day. Just as previous generations recalled where they were during the attach on Pearl Harbor, the day JFK was assassinated or the day the first atomic bomb was dropped, our recent milestone in history is 9/11.  Everything changed. As police officers and for first responders in general, we found ourselves on the front lines of the Global War On Terror. In less than 24 hours, our professional paradigm shifted in a direction that none of could have predicted on September 10, 2001. It has been a little over 7 years since then. We now patrol the streets with gas masks, PPE suits and upgraded weaponry, largely because of the events of that day. Not only are we trained in bank robbers casing a target, we are also trained in terrorists casing a target. ‘We shall never forget,’ was what brought us together. The National Ensign was seen flying from almost every home, on every car and I can not recall a time when the country was more unified. How quickly we forget. The more time passes since 9/11, the more distant that day becomes, the more comfortable and lax we live our lives.

I remember when I visited ground zero in April of 2002, barely six months after 9/11. It was surreal, unbelievable. Everything was still fresh and unforgettable. The National Guard was everywhere. Ground Zero was still a mess. Damaged buildings were all around the site, still in disrepair. The re was a spirit of collective rage and togetherness that permeated the entire city. Ground Zero and all of the lower Manhattan became hallowed ground and even as time passes, the horror of that day was relived on September 11^th of each year since 2001. On September 11, 2008, I was honored to be a part of it. I was there that day, in full class ‘A’ uniform, proudly representing the Anaheim Police Department. It was an event I will never forget and I will always consider a highlight of my career. Obviously, this trip took considerable planning on my part. I developed a contact at NYPD who could not have been more helpful! Picture your stereotypical NYPD veteran, thick accent and all and that was Lt. Ernie Mederos. Just a super good guy. He made things very easy for me. When I met him in person at the WTC site, he could not have treated me better. I was the only uniformed officer from California in attendance and I was treated like a brother by everyone I met. It was awesome!

My day started very early. I had to be at the WTC site by 0730. I had checked into a hotel, right next to ‘Grand Central Station,’ the previous day which really helped. I had gone out with my brother in Manhattan the night before so having a place to crash was a good move! I woke up at about 0530, put on my Class ‘A’ and met my brother at Grand Central. He lives in the suburbs and commutes to his office on Wall Street. We both had to take the same subway to lower Manhattan , so it worked out great. So there I was, walking through Grand Central in my Anaheim PD uniform. It felt pretty weird, but was way cool! As you can imagine, security was very heavy all over Manhattan . The re were police and National Guard everywhere, especially at a place like Grand Central. As I walked around, every cop I passed shook my hand and asked of I needed any help? Did I know where I was going? A couple officers asked if I was an ‘Angels” or ‘Yankees’ fan? How the heck do you answer that the NYC?! I told ‘em I was a ‘Red Sox’ fan! I was absolutely amazed at how many people asked me about the ‘Angeles’ and ‘ The Ducks,’ or how they were at ‘Disneyland’ last year with their kids and what a great city Anaheim is! And absolutely everyone thanked me for being there. Even for a native New Yorker like me, it was very moving. My brother wanted to accompany me all the way to the WTC site before he went to his office. He was curious to see what it was like and I was glad to have him!

We got to the WTC site a little before 0700 and it was already packed. Lt. Mederos had told me to contact him as soon as I got to the site. I got a hold of a NYPD sergeant who contacted Lt. Mederos for me and that was that! He gave me an all access pass, made sure my name got on all access lists and gave me a quick tour of the grounds and told me how the ceremonies were going to proceed. My brother was still with me for most of it and was amazed at how well I was treated. Finally, the ceremonies were about to start and my brother and I parted ways.

All the police officers and fire fighters were all located in the same place, on Broadway right next to where the towers stood. The actual site, known as ‘the pit,’ looks like a giant construction site. For this occasion, a huge ramp leads from ground level into the pit. The re was a reflecting pool, in which the families of the victims tossed roses in the remembrance of their loved ones. The entire area around the pit was packed with bleachers for all the dignitaries, victim’s families, honor guards and bands. The n there was ‘the bell.’ A huge brass bell was wrung four times during the day. Once for each of the aircraft hitting each tower and once for each of the towers collapsing, at the exact time it all happened that day. Throughout the entire day, in between all the speeches, the name of each victim who perished that day was read aloud.

I was with cops and firefighters from all over the United States , especially the east coast. Some departments sent honor guards. In addition to all the cops and firefighters from the US , their was a large international contingent present. Police officers and firefighters from Great Britain , Canada , Australia , Germany and France . Despite the very solemn occasion, it was great being able to mingle and share experiences with everyone. The ‘brotherhood of the badge’ is indeed international! It was striking at how respected and admired American law enforcement is around the world. The Brits or “Bobbies’ definitely had the most opulent uniforms, followed closely by the Canadians. The standard bearer for the British was nicknamed the ‘Kaiser’ by the Canadians, for his spiked helmet and very regal appearance. It was pretty funny! I was posted with a group of French cops (Don’t ask my why) and what a super bunch of guys! Say what you will about the French, they are a class act. Professional, courteous and took the whole ceremony very seriously. I was proud to be a part of their group and they treated me with the utmost respect and graciousness. The Canadians had the largest foreign contingent and they were a very entertaining bunch! The Australians had two officers and they kinda hung out with the Brits. The Brits ran the whole thing, I mean come on, they’re BRITISH! It was a day of camaraderie, pageantry and pride.

At the conclusion of the actual ceremonies, the rest of they day was filled with walking around the WTC site, paying our respects at the reflecting pool and paying homage to the victims. During the course of the day, I met NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg, former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, New York Governor David Paterson, New Jersey Governor John Corzine, DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff and NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelley. All of them were extremely cordial, even the Democrats, and they thanked me for being a part of the ceremonies. Presidential candidates John and Cindy McCain and Barack and Michelle Obama were there in the late afternoon, but meeting them was by invitation only. I didn’t make the cut. I met countless, regular New Yorkers during the course of the day. If you live or work in NYC, 9/11 is a day that will never be forgotten. Throngs of New Yorkers came down to ‘the pit’ to pay their respects and commemorate that day. I can only imagine how horrific that day must have been. I know that I will never forget.

Few of us have the opportunity to be a part of history. As time passes, the towers will be rebuilt, the scars will fade, but our collective memories will always keep that day as vivid and as real as the day it happened. Our world changed forever on that day…….and we all watched it happen.