These emergency personnel died 9/11/01 at the World Trade Center


     A few weeks ago on my way home from Greensburg (Pennsylvania) at about midnight I was traveling west on route 30 through Jeannette. Suddenly and without warning a car traveling east on route 30 at a very high rate of speed veered into the westbound lane about 1/3 mile in front of me. The result was a violent head on collision with a car a short distance in front of me. The poor devil up ahead of me never had a chance.
      I along with many others stopped. A few people tried to help but the cars were so badly mangled that they were unable to get the severely injured out of either car. I, like most of the others, was frozen in shock and just stood there gawking at the incredible scene of devastation and destruction the likes of which most of us had never seen before. A study of the Westmoreland County section of the dangerous roads website reveals this part of route 30 to be one of the most deadly roads in Western Pennsylvania. ( also check out this most dangerous roads in pittsburgh area news story which cites route 30 in Westmoreland County)
      I relate this story because of what happened next. Within a few minutes emergency personnel began to arrive. I watched in amazement as these highly trained competent, caring people quickly and professionally extricated the injured from their vehicles and then just as quickly and professionally made sure the crashed vehicles were safe ( fuel and oil was leaking). The way each man and woman of the paramedic, fire, and police departments instictively knew what to do in this very difficult and dangerous situation and the way in which they all worked together was an amazing thing to watch. I never did find out what happened to the injured who were both very bloody and were taken away on stretchers. There was a news story the next day about an accident on route 30 which revealed that both injured drivers were in the hospital but gave no further details. If they did survive they certainly had the emergency personnel to thank for it.
      The whole experience made me reflect on the magnitude of the tragic loss of those hundreds of firefighters, police, and other emergency personnel who perished in the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

Click here to find lists and pictures of emergency personnel killed in the terrorist attack on 9/11

Click here for a page with a complete list of those who died on 9/11