Remembering 9/11, the role of first responders
MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Police, Firefighters, and Emergency Medical Crews are considered the heroes of 9/11 for the roles they played that day and in the recovery efforts the following weeks.
The attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon put many in fear. Many didn’t want to leave their homes or gather in large groups after 9/11.
But first responders went out on the front lines to help those in that moment and after that.
It was just a normal Tuesday 23 years ago.
People around the country were getting their day started when the unexpected shook the nation.
Many were inspired to help. Many became first responders and people from agencies across the country went to New York to assist departments there.
Aberdeen Fire Chief Norris James became a firefighter in 2001, just a few months before the attack.
“I was a rookie. So, it had a big impact on me. I didn’t understand what was going on at the time ’cause it was a lot,” James said. “But as I saw everything happen, it was very tragic to me.”
James said seeing the 343 firefighters climb the 110 stories to save people helped shape his perspective of the job.
“You want to be prepared,” James said. “We weren’t prepared for 9/11. So, when it happened, everyone was in a frenzy and didn’t know what to do. So, now that we had 9/11, it makes us better prepared for future tragedies and stuff.”
While many people were drawn to law enforcement, fire, and medical services following 9-11, today, many of those same departments are having trouble recruiting people to fill their ranks.
Monroe County Sheriff Kevin Crook says when something like this happens, it causes people to stop and look at the bigger picture.
“When everybody does that, we come on the same page, we experience a lot of the same emotions and desires to serve,” Crook said. “When we can get off of ourselves and we can get on to the community and the nation, we can become servants.”
James said that tragedy happens every day, and first responders are always needed.
“It doesn’t have to be the Twin Towers that go down,” James said. “You could have an accident or wreck and you can help somebody in the hospital. It’s just anything.”
Sheriff Crook was a deputy during the attack and says 9/11 is something he will never forget, but the way the country came together is what stands out to him.
“The thing that I want to remember best about the whole event was the unity,” Crook said. “National unity like I’ve never seen it before in my lifetime, it’s really, the only time that I can put a finger on it that everyone was coming together with the same spirit. That’s something I want to remember every year.”
If you are interested in becoming a first responder, most departments in our area are hiring. Call the department you are interested in to find out how to join.
