On the morning of September 11, 2001, I was, I was working at the Trumbull Co 9-1-1 center in Ohio. My shift started at 7am, I normally get in early to relieve the midnight shift. Got settled into work, the day before we had a bad MVA where we had to coordinate multiple medical aircraft at the scene, so we’re talking about that and about what we could do better or not.

My direct phone line rang and it was the midnight turn dispatcher that had relieved called to tell me a plane crashed into one of the Twin Towers, he was 100% sure the size of the plane at that point. I let everyone know what’s going on, back then there wasn’t a TV in the dispatch center. Minutes later he called back and said a second plane crashed into the other tower!

I walked into our directors office to let him know, we turn the TV on and saw images non us will ever forget.

Then the plane stuck the pentagon and the forth plane went down in Pennsylvania, this planes flight track was found to be in the very same area of the 9-1-1 center in Howland, Ohio, when the plane was hijacked and turned around toward its target.

We then received the a call from the Youngstown-Warren ATC telling us that a total ground stop was occurring nationwide, and the airport in Vienna Ohio (Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport) and multiple aircraft’s were landing rapidly at the small airport. At that point there wasn’t any real intelligence about other plans and/or planes under attack.

At this point I called the Fire Chief from Vienna FD to tell him what is coming very fast. He said to activate his department and several other departments to standby, along with a county wide law enforcement response.

The day went on in the center, a lot of mixed emotions with tears shed, panic about loved ones and down right anger!

As my shift finished at 3pm, I transition to a member of the County’s HazMat team in the command post at the airport. I stayed there till late in the night as all the passengers were taken by busses to the final destination.

It was a day we will never forget! And how much has changed in everything we do and as a former first responder the training that has come from that tragic day!

We must pledge to never forget…