World Trade Center environmental data report, 2001-2002

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Environmental and public health touched on a good number of these challenges, as well as many of the key functions involved in the cleanup—^firefighting, urban search and rescue, recovery of crime scene evidence, medical emergency care, public works (debris removal, construction and deconstruction), traffic control, public health (sanitation, control of dust inhalation, isolation of dead bodies, or the injured), removal of hazardous materials, and mortuary operations.

It wasn’t just the colossal size of the disaster site—^16 * : acres—and the monumental task ahead of moving debris, or ■'

that so many offices had been closed, or that the city was in a state of physical crisis. Within hours, the city had to

r. ] bounce back when it was in a heightened state of grief, mourning and ultimately shock. Police asked for volunteers to direct traffic and move vehicles. Hundreds of people lined up to donate blood. Photo: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division; Don Halasy

At the Pentagon, too, there was extra stress because of being within the ‘orbit’ of other potential terrorist hijackings—news of the diverted plane to Pennsylvania having just been announced. Because of rumors flying, fire fighters and emergency responders at the Pentagon left the scene at one point when it was believed that another terrorist attack was underway, leading to confusion and worry that rescue opportunities might have been lost. Government buildings, including the Capitol and the White House, were evacuated with officials citing a credible threat of yet another terrorist attack. Soon after law enforcement officials reported that a car bomb had exploded outside of State Department in Washington, D.C., an event that is later proven false.

In many ways rescue workers at the Pentagon were better equipped. Although officials in Arlington County would never ask for a disaster to come their way, many admit that they were equipped with some inherent advantages.

Dodie Gill, director of Arlington’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP), was down at the Pentagon soon after the plane crash, “offering critical incident stress management to public safety employees.” Months later, she hates to admit that “Arlington was a perfect model” for operating optimally in a disaster situation. Arlington, being at the center of government and the military, was uniquely situated to respond to a major fire and rescue incident of this scale. “You almost couldn’t ask for a better scenario,” says Gill.

“I turned on my heel when I heard the news of the crashes,” she recalls, “and got moving. I thought, ‘That’s us." Because traffic was completely grid locked, she and her staff walked about a mile to the nearest fire station, where they were immediately deployed to an off-site rehab center. By evening, she says, “we were at the Pentagon, doing what they could to provide support and comfort to our fire and rescue people."

(For an interesting interview with Dodie Gill and Capt. Bob Gray ) http://www.bumingissues.coin/Wellness%20Week%202003.htm

The successes the fire department claimed that day Gill credits to EAP’s past experience in rendering critical incident stress management, especially its underlying credo and modus operand! of care giving. “We believe in order to perform, public employees, no matter what agencies, have to be protected and cared for,” says Gill, who was credited for her extra preparedness and care.

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