Thank You to Those Who Run Toward the Danger

Every September 11, many of us remember exactly where we were and what we were doing when we heard the news about the attacks on the World Trade Center in NYC. We remember the shock, the fear, the disbelief—and then we remember the people who ran toward the danger while the rest of us were trying to understand what was happening.

Twenty-five years later, the images of September 11, 2001 remain seared into our memories. The firefighters climbing the stairs of the World Trade Center. Police officers directing people to safety. Emergency medical technicians and paramedics rushing toward the injured. Search-and-rescue teams working through the rubble. NIOSH handing out respirators and other protective equipment. And countless other first responders who put the safety and lives of others ahead of their own.

They knew the risks. They went anyway.

Some never came home.

More than 400 first responders were killed on September 11, including firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical personnel. Thousands more were exposed to the toxic dust and debris at Ground Zero and in the surrounding area. Many survivors have suffered serious illnesses in the years since. Their sacrifice did not end when the towers fell.

And neither did the work of first responders.

Always There When You Need Them

Every day, firefighters answer calls for house fires, car crashes, medical emergencies, and hazardous-material incidents. Police officers respond to accidents, violence, and people in crisis. EMTs and paramedics arrive when someone’s worst day suddenly becomes an emergency. Search-and-rescue teams respond when people are lost, injured or trapped. Dispatchers—often the first voice someone hears in an emergency—work behind the scenes to get help where it is needed and to talk calmly to frantic callers.

Our first responders are there when storms knock out power, when flood waters rise, when buildings collapse, when communities face disasters, and whenever we dial 911. They work holidays, nights, and weekends. They miss birthday parties and family dinners. They put themselves in harm’s way so that others have a better chance of getting home safely.

That is what makes September 11 so important to remember.

It is not simply a story about what happened 25 years ago. It is a story about courage, service, and the extraordinary responsibility we ask ordinary people to shoulder on our behalf.

And it is also a reminder that saying “thank you” is not enough.  We also need to support the people we are thanking.

First responders need adequate staffing, training, equipment, and resources. They need appropriate protections from hazardous exposures. They need access to medical monitoring and care when their work makes them sick. They need mental-health support for the enormous emotional burdens that can come with repeatedly witnessing tragedy. And they need communities and governments willing to invest in their safety—not just applaud their courage after disaster strikes.

Bottom Line

We should also remember that the consequences of September 11 did not end that day. The illnesses and deaths that followed among responders and survivors remind us of a fundamental lesson about emergencies: protecting people doesn’t stop when the immediate danger appears to be over.

We owe first responders our gratitude. But we also owe them our commitment to making sure that those who run toward danger are protected as much as possible when they do.

On September 11, we remember the lives lost. We remember the families who were forever changed. We remember the extraordinary acts of courage that emerged from an unimaginable tragedy.

And we say thank you.

Thank you to the firefighters, police officers, EMTs, paramedics, dispatchers, emergency workers, search-and-rescue teams, and all those who answered the call on September 11, 2001.

And thank you to the first responders who answer the call today.

You run toward the danger so the rest of us can run toward safety.

We are forever in your debt.