U.S. flag
        An official website of the United States government
          Here’s how you know
        Here’s how you know
        world globe
        Languages
      EnglishEspañolFrançaisKreyòlTiếng Việt简体中文한국어 **Official websites use .gov** A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS** A **lock** (
A locked padlock
) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
              .
  Apply for Assistance


                Toggle Menu

    close
            Disasters & Assistance
                  
                                                      Current DisastersCalifornia Severe StormsHermit's Peak/Calf Canyon FireMaine Severe StormsMichigan Severe StormsRhode Island Severe Storms (December 2023)Rhode Island Severe Storms (January 2024)Washington WildfiresWildfire ActionsWrangell Cooperative Association Severe StormAll Disaster Declarations
Assistance After a DisasterGovernments and Private Non-ProfitsIndividuals and Families
Tools to RecoverCommon RumorsDisaster Multimedia ToolkitDisaster-Related FAQFEMA in Your LanguageSave Your Family TreasuresVolunteer & Donate
General Disaster InformationSearch Your LocationHow a Disaster Gets DeclaredDisaster AuthoritiesHistoric DisastersGrants
                  
                                                      FEMA GrantsPreparedness GrantsHazard Mitigation Assistance GrantsResilience GrantsContinuing Training Grants ProgramEmergency Food and Shelter ProgramShelter and Services Program
Policy & GuidanceProcurement & Contracting"Buy America" PreferenceBipartisan Infrastructure LawLow-Carbon Goals2 CFR Policy Updates
ToolsAuthorized Equipment ListBenefit-Cost AnalysisEnvironmental & Historic Preservation GuidanceFEMA Grants Outcomes (FEMA GO)Grants Management Technical AssistanceNon-Disaster Grants Management SystemFloods & Maps
                  
                                                      Flood InsuranceFind an Insurance FormWork with National Flood InsuranceNFIP’s Pricing ApproachInsurance Outreach PublicationsRules and LegislationFlood Insurance Advocate
Floodplain ManagementManage Floodplain RiskGet Financial HelpCommunity Assistance Program for StatesCommunity Rating SystemFloodplains & Wildlife ConservationIntergovernmental Collaboration
Flood MapsFlood Data Viewers & Geospatial DataChange Your Flood Zone DesignationRisk MAPProducts and ToolsGuidance & ReportsCooperating Technical Partners
Know Your RiskHomeowners, Renters or Business OwnersCommunity OfficialsEngineers, Surveyors or ArchitectsReal Estate, Lending or Insurance ProfessionalsState, Local, Tribal or Territorial GovernmentsEmergency Management
                  
                                                      National PreparednessTraining & EducationNational Incident Management System (NIMS)National Planning FrameworksNational Preparedness GoalContinuity Resource ToolkitEquityExercises
Risk ManagementHazard Mitigation PlanningClimate ResilienceBuilding ScienceEarthquake RiskDam SafetyHurricane, Wind & Water Surge HazardsHazardous Response Capabilities
Tools for PractitionersIntegrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS)Planning GuidesCommunity LifelinesEnvironmental Planning & Historic PreservationRecovery ResourcesCase Study LibraryPrepTalks
Individuals & CommunitiesPreparedness Activities, Research & WebinarsFaith-Based & Volunteer Partnership ResourcesYouth & Emergency PlanningCommunity Emergency Response Team (CERT)Activities to Reduce Risk for Your HomeAbout
                  
                                                      About UsHow FEMA WorksStrategic PlanOffices & LeadershipRegions, States & TerritoriesTribal AffairsHow to Pay FEMAHistory of FEMAContact Us
NewsroomBlogEventsFact SheetsFEMA LiveMobile ProductsNewslettersPress ReleasesPodcastSocial Media
Reports & DataAnnual ReportsData VisualizationsDisaster Relief Fund ReportsFEMA Guidance DocumentsGlossaryOpenFEMAResilience Analysis & Planning Tool
FEMA in ActionWe Are FEMADisaster ResilienceTwenty Years Later: 9/11Work With Us
                  
                                                      CareersBenefitsCareer PathsHow to ApplyRecruitment EventsFEMA Employee Resources
Business and OrganizationsDoing Business with FEMANational Business Emergency Operations Center
PartnershipsCommunity Disaster Resilience ZonesEmergency Manager ExchangeFederal Agency Mission AssignmentsResilient Nation Partnership NetworkApply for Assistance

world globe
        Languages
      EnglishEspañolFrançaisKreyòlTiếng Việt简体中文한국어  About
              
              
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

              FEMA in Action
                          FEMA in Action

                      Twenty Years Later: 9/11
                  
                                                    We Are FEMA
                                                Disaster Resilience
                                                    
                                                            About Us
                                                        Newsroom
                                                        Reports & Data
          Twenty Years Later: We Remember and Honor Those Who Responded
world globeEnglish
    Español
Videos & Quotes



Response Snapshot



Blogs



*Please note: These videos contain news images and personal stories of September 11th. Some viewers may find the content disturbing.*



We remember the sorrow of September 11, 2001 and also the dedication, commitment and strength of those who responded to the tragic events. Read stories and first-hand experiences from FEMA staff who served on that day.



9/11 20th anniversary



FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell describes how FEMA has developed since Sept. 11, 2001, and introduces the FEMA stories shared below.Our Stories in Videos & Quotes



alert - infoBrowse below for videos, quotes and blogs. You can also view all videos on **FEMA's YouTube playlist** or jump to **all September 11 blogs**.



Berl Jones, Executive Administrator Mt. Weather



A volunteer firefighter at the time, Berl was assigned to the Pentagon to fight the fire on September 12.



Rescue workers carry a casket covered in an American flag out of the debris after the 9/11 attacks in New York.**Blog**FEMA Broadcast Operations Manager Paul Luke captured this image of rescue workers carrying a casket covered in an American flag out of the debris after the 9/11 attacks.**Read Paul's story about how 9/11 changed the way FEMA documents disasters.**



(Video) Tom Von Essen, Fire Department of New York Commissioner and former FEMA Region 2 Administrator



On 9/11, Tom served as the fire commissioner for New York City. He was one of the first people on the scene at the World Trade Center.



(Video) Patrick Cornbill - Federal Coordinating Officer



Patrick, a native New Yorker, responded as part of FEMA’s community relations following 911.



"I was one of many volunteers at an impromptu call center which contacted next of kin to our teammates serving at the Pentagon... During that time, all commercial aircraft disappeared from the skies. It would be days before I would see any planes in the sky above me as I walked to and from home, and it was a great comfort to see that tentative step toward normalcy."



— Joel Doolin, FEMA Resilience National Preparedness Directorate National Assessments & Integration Director, who was serving active duty in the Navy and was stationed in Memphis, Tennessee on 9/11.



Pete Bakersky (left) and a colleague surveying Ground Zero.“We lost the task force, good friends of mine, guys I went to school with, we lost. Once I got there my mind could not fathom, I could not process that this pile used to be a tower. It was very difficult initially. But then again, I had a job to do.”



— Pete Bakersky, who was originally from New York, served as the ESF 9 Group Supervisor for FEMA’s Urban Search and Rescue efforts at Ground Zero. Pete retired from FEMA in 2016. He passed away in 2020.



(Video) Mary Ann Tierney - Region 3 Administrator



MaryAnn, an emergency planner at NYC Emergency Management, was on her way to work at 7 World Trade Center when the first plane hit the North Tower.



Dog howling in debris after September 11 attack on the Pentagon“Photographing the Pentagon after 9/11 was a true honor... Covering an event such as this is not something that ever leaves you—the memory is like a fine saffron thread that is embedded in your soul—forever.”
— Jocelyn Augustino, Visual Imaging Specialist Manager who worked as a FEMA photographer onsite at the Pentagon following the attacks.(Video) Steve Sterling - Denver MERS Chief



On 9/11, Stephen was deployed to New York to support FBI operations.



“We worked two weeks straight, searching for any survivors or victims. Even the smallest act of service and the simplest act of kindness is a way to honor those we lost. If we learn nothing else from this tragedy we learn that life is short and there is no time for hate."



— John Kosciolek Jr., FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Branch Director, who served as a fire fighter at Ground Zero.



“As my cab turned onto 16th Street near the White House, I saw tanks and artillery batteries in the streets of my city. At that moment, the emotional protection of being a FEMA employee with a mission evaporated. I was just fearful and sad. I was just an American.”



— Christi Harlan, who served as FEMA's Director of External Affairs on Sept. 11, 2001



Christi Harlan captured this photo of a plane sent to Montana to pick up senior FEMA staff after the attacks on September 11.Christi Harlan captured this photo of a plane sent to Montana to pick up senior FEMA staff after the attacks on September 11.



(Video) Lai Sun Yee - Federal Coordinating Officer



The morning of Sept. 11, Lai Sun was working at the NYC Office of Emergency Management at the World Trade Center.



Black dog walks through debris at Ground Zero in New York after 9/11 attacks.“Photographs I took of ground zero are, I’m told, in the Smithsonian Institute’s archives. One image I captured, of a search and rescue dog, hangs in my living room today. It’s a reminder of how my life, all of our lives, changed on 9/11. It’ll never be the same; it’s been divided into before and after.”



— Amanda Bicknell, Mitigation and Risk Communication Specialist, who served as a public affairs specialist for FEMA on September 11.







Joel Pirrone in an EMS uniform in 2001**Blog**On the morning of September 11, 2001, the skies were clear. Joel Pirrone, now an emergency manager at FEMA’s National Response and Coordination Center, knew that a cloudless sky meant that a plane hitting one of the twin towers was probably not an accident.**Read Joel's full story.**



(Video) Stacie Greff - Region 8 External Affairs Director



At the time, Stacie was a FEMA reservist in public affairs. She led FEMA's public affairs efforts in New York City, and also supported Washington, D.C., coordinating the media response after the attacks.



(Video) Donovan Puffer - Region 8 Deputy Recovery Director



Donovan supported operations in NYC,  Pentagon and Shanksville, Penn.



“During Sept. 11, 2001, there was a real dichotomy of feelings among the staff. We were shocked. We were saddened. We were angry.  But we were also determined to answer the call to action, and we did. Following the attacks, I served as a subject matter expert on national security contingency operations and worked as many as 195 hours in a single, two-week pay period.  Although Mount Weather was only 40 miles from my home, I was deployed to the facility for over 250 nights, and we spent nearly every waking moment in response to this attack and in support of our mission.”



— Kurt M. Stoliker, Director, National Programs Office at the Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center who served as a national security contingency expert at FEMA following the September 11 attacks.



Sept. 14, 2001. Robert A. (Bob) Weaver (middle), U.S. Secret Service Agent from New York asked Lisa Nine (left) to hang up the American Flag when they first opened the re-located office from World Trade Center 7 to the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City.“What I witnessed and lived through during the days and weeks after September 11, 2001, has forever changed the person I was on September 10th and the person I am in 2021. What was meant to destroy has made me and so many millions of others in this country more resilient. We love our country and will always do whatever is necessary to protect and defend it.”



— Lisa Nine, Preparedness Officer in GPD’s National Programs Branch, who worked in New York City to solicit and coordinate donations from all over the world to rebuild the U.S. Secret Service New York Field Office operations after the terrorist attacks on 9/11.



(Video) Tom Fargione - National Incident Management Assistance Team Lead



On 9/11, Tom served as a New York State police officer. He was sent to manage and coordinate events at Ground Zero.



Large signed poster at an elemetary school: From Shanksville Stonycreek to Flight 93, Our Thoughts and Prayers, Our HEROES**Blog**Amy Gabriel couldn’t find a song on the radio the morning of September 11, 2001. She was driving four hours to Shanksville, Pennsylvania in a Red Cross vehicle to respond to the Flight 93 tragedy. There was no cassette or CD player in the vehicle, so she had nothing to distract herself from her thoughts.**Read Amy's full story.**(Video) Alejandro De La Campa - Puerto Rico



Alejandro led the FEMA Public Assistance program to support local, state and federal governments in their response and recovery efforts. The program paved the way to recovery.



(Video) Michael Rieger, photographer



In the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, ground zero was closed to the media: capturing the historical significance of the event was tasked to FEMA videographers and photographers.



Fred Endrikat and two other responders wearing helmets in front of building debris**Blog**“It brought the country together... It demonstrated that we are capable of coming together, putting our resources, our talents and our energies together to try to affect the common good.”— Fred Endrikat, Chief of the FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Branch, who served as the FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Operations Chief for the World Trade Center response.**Read Fred's full story.**



World Trade Center debris at dusk with light filtering through"This was one of the first images I photographed for FEMA at Ground Zero. The light and smoke sifted in and out of the site, revealing areas and hiding others. This image reminds me of the tremendous hope we had early on, that we would find survivors."



— Andrea Booher, photographer



Snapshot of FEMA's Response



Sept. 11, 2001: President approves New York Disaster Declaration.



Firetruck in front of colliseum debris



Sept. 21, 2001: President approves Virginia Disaster Declaration.



Smoke from fire coming off of the Pentagon



FEMA deployed 26 urban search and rescue teams. Twenty-one teams went to New York, five went to the Pentagon in Northern Virginia. These teams searched tirelessly to locate survivors and victims.



Two rescue workers wearing yellow packs and red helmets in front of debris



FEMA deployed more than 3,400 employees to New York and 17 to New Jersey. These employees helped survivors receive assistance and worked with federal, state and local government stakeholders during the response and recovery phases.



FEMA employees sitting in front of computers listening to a man in a blue shirt speak



The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers removed 1.6 million tons of debris from Ground Zero in a 1.7-million-hour operation.



Workers in red jackets in front of a yellow crane at Ground Zero



FEMA grant funding provided more than $295 million to the New York City Police Department in overtime costs and $5 million for destroyed vehicles.



NYPD enter their temporary headquarters near the World Trade Center



FEMA grant funding provided more than $28 million to the New York City Fire Department for vehicles destroyed in the fire.



Firetruck with an American flag on it parked in front of Ground Zero debris



FEMA provided more than $130 million to survivors in the New York City area, including $41.5 million in mortgage and rental assistance.



FEMA provided more than $14.5 million to survivors in Virginia. These funds helped with everything from crisis counseling in the immediate aftermath to compensation for lost wages.



NASDAQ building's banner displaying FEMA New York Disaster Assistance help line phone number



FEMA grant funding provided more than $238 million for projects to help New York area communities recover by rebuilding or restoring infrastructure, transportation, and other public facilities. In addition, FEMA grants funded more than $2 billion in debris removal, emergency protective measures and response activities.



Man in helmet and orange visibility vest in front of a crumbled building



FEMA grant funding provided more than $4.8 million to help Virginia communities rebuild or restore infrastructure, transportation, and other public facilities.



Red box with button at Pentagon Station that says "Protecting the Nation's Finest"



2003: The Ready Campaign, a national public service campaign designed to promote preparedness through public involvement.



2003 Ready Campaign poster that has peoples' faces over an American flag. Preparing Makes Sense. Get Ready Now. Ready.gov. Homeland Security.



March 2003: FEMA became part of the Department of Homeland Security.



President Bush Signs Homeland Security Appropriations Bill surrounded by politicians



2004: National Preparedness Month launched as a national campaign to be held each September to honor the events of 9/11. The annual campaign’s focuses on encouraging  everyone to take steps to prepare for emergencies or disasters.



DHS Secretary Tom Ridge Together with Participants and the National Preparedness Month launch.



2016: FEMA’s Region 2 moved its regional headquarters to 1 World Trade Center.



Sign announcing the federal government returned to 1 World Trade Center in 2003



Blogs & Personal Stories Reflecting on Sept. 11
The Shape of FEMA Since 9/11: Mike Byrne Shares His Story
Mike Byrne talks about the events of Sept. 11, 2001 as if he’s recalling a day last week.  Like many who responded that day, Mike found meaning and comfort in the work he did to help those who survived, and worked tirelessly to honor those lost.
illustration of page of paperSeptember 8, 2021
    The Role of the Urban Search and Rescue System in the 9/11 Response: Fred Endrikat Shares his Story
The National Urban Search and Rescue Response System may have looked a little different on September 11, 2001, but its mission was the same: deploy search and rescue teams as fast as possible following a disaster. Fred Endrikat was one of the Urban Search and Rescue members that was called to action that day.
illustration of page of paperSeptember 8, 2021
    Guiding Helping Hands After 9/11: Alex Amparo Shares His Story
When Alex Amparo heard the news that a plane had struck the World Trade Center on his way to work, he immediately made a U-turn and headed directly to Florida’s emergency operations center. Today, Amparo serves as the Senior Official Performing the Duties of Deputy Administrator for Resilience at FEMA, but at the time of the 9/11 attacks Amparo was working in emergency management in Florida.
illustration of page of paperSeptember 8, 2021
    Serving A Higher Purpose: Bob Fenton Remembers 9/11
Like so many others that day, Bob and his colleagues gathered around a television, watching the events unfold. They were worried about the fate of FEMA employees at Region 2 headquarters in New York City and the effect the events would have on the agency. Later that morning, Bob got a call from agency leadership asking him to come and lead the response at the World Trade Center.
illustration of page of paperSeptember 8, 2021
    Dean Scott – September 11th, 20-Year Remembrance
On Sept. 11, Dean was a firefighter with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department and also employed with FEMA as a Disaster Assistance Employee.
illustration of page of paperSeptember 8, 2021
    Behind the Lenses: Paul Luke Reflects on how 9/11 Changed the Way FEMA Documents Disasters
It was six months into the recovery, I was standing in what was left of Tower two. I looked across and there was a group of guys huddled together by what was left of Tower 1... I couldn’t really tell what they were doing but when I got back that night and I looked at my video, I could see that they were performing last rights. Six months after the event and they were still treating every recovery with dignity and respect. It was very humbling to witness that.”
illustration of page of paperSeptember 8, 2021
    Responding on September 11: Joel Pirrone Shares his Story
On the morning of September 11, 2001, the skies were clear. Joel Pirrone, now an emergency manager at FEMA’s National Response and Coordination Center, knew that a cloudless sky meant that a plane hitting one of the twin towers was probably not an accident.
illustration of page of paperSeptember 8, 2021
    Finding Comfort After the September 11 Attacks: Amy Gabriel Shares her Story
Amy Gabriel couldn’t find a song on the radio the morning of September 11, 2001. She was driving four hours to Shanksville, Pennsylvania in a Red Cross vehicle to respond to the Flight 93 tragedy. There was no cassette or CD player in the vehicle, so she had nothing to distract herself from her thoughts.
illustration of page of paperSeptember 8, 2021
    Supporting New York City After the September 11 Attacks: Dan Best Shares His Story
On Sept. 11, Dan Best was participating in a workgroup to develop a Public Assistance training course at FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Classes and workshops were cancelled, and everyone was told to go home. A Recovery Branch Chief in FEMA Region 7 at the time, Dan let his supervisor know he could either return to the region or assist with the agency’s response to the incident.
illustration of page of paperSeptember 8, 2021
Last updated September 12, 2023

            Return to top Disasters & Assistance
      
    
                  Grants
      
    
                  Floods & Maps
      
    
                  Emergency Management
      
    
                  About
      
    
                  Work With Us

Facebook

          Instagram


          Twitter

          YouTube

          LinkedIn

          Newsletter

        Contact FEMA

DHS logo
              FEMA.govAn official website of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
          Accessibility
                Accountability
                Careers
                Civil Rights
                Contact Us
                FOIA
                Glossary
                No FEAR Act
                Plug-Ins
                Privacy
                Report Disaster Fraud
                Website Information
                DHS.gov
                USA.gov
                Inspector General