History or Memory

A local radio station has been airing something to do with Patriot Day (today) on a regular basis. Included in their on-air material is, for me at least, a bit of an eye-opener. For today's school kids the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 are not memories... they are history.

The stunned emotions of realizing our nation was under attack are foreign to our young people - our future. A sky void of contrails as all aircraft were grounded is just something to imagine. Learning of so many innocent deaths likely does not impact our young folks like it stung so many of us on that fateful day.

As a family member and I drove to the healing place to the north today, we drove through a couple of communities that had flags lining the road. At our destination we had conversations with several people based on the topic of "where were you" when the attack happened. I will share my response.

On that morning I was working in Master Control at KWWL where I was an engineer. We watched as the national announcers shared that the first tower had been hit. Our first impression was that a freak incident had occurred. As we stood glued to the monitors, I saw the second plane hit. We knew we were not witnessing an accident. Our nation was under attack.

For the next hours we aired wall-to-wall coverage as the situation worsened. Day after day we aired commentary and updates on the attack. The impact was real and the jolt to our common psyche was powerful.

At the end of the day on September 11, 2001 I received notification that I may be deployed to New York City on a specialty team for EMS. My instructions were to have my essentials ready to go and I would be told what airport to head to. My backpack was prepared and I was ready for deployment. Hours later I was notified that the mission for EMS was cancelled. The incident had become a search and rescue/body recover mission. As much as I wanted to assist, I did not self-deploy.

Not long after I was contacted multiple times by a member of the Bremer County Board of Supervisors. Local governments were encouraged (maybe required) to create a robust emergency management program. Government at all levels upped their game - preparedness was paramount. After declining the first two requests to consider accepting the emergency management coordinator position, I did agree to a career change on the third request.

Fast-forward to September 11, 2024 (today). I have retired after more than 21-years in emergency management, I continue to volunteer as an EMS provider for three departments. And, I try to wrap my mind around the divisive mentality so prevalent in society today. Yes, there will be difference. No, we will never all agree. But can't we be civil? The self-destructive, adversarial attitude is prevalent from the national level to the local level. We seemed to have lost the ability to communicate, to discuss, and to compromise.

To see the flags along the highways today, to see thank you notes being shared with some responders, to know that we can unite is reassuring. Hope remains that we can once again be united Americans without a disaster - intentional or natural - to pull us together.

We must never delegate September 11, 2001 as just a day in history to fly flags with a cursory discussion on “This Day in History.” We must remember those lost and the impact on our country and our world. We must never forget.

Where were you on September 11, 2001 and how did it impact your life? Share if you wish!

Today's photo features our favorite tree on the route to the north. The appearance was intentional - somber and reflective. The tree stands strong. It’s shadow is far-reaching- indicative of what shaped the tree - similar to our nation.