New York City released 1,613 emergency phone calls made after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Some excerpts:
* “We’re in a state of confusion. We have no cell phone service anywhere because of the disaster. … Bring all the additional handy talkies.” – Battalion Chief Dennis Devlin, who died in the attack.
* “One of the towers just collapsed. Everybody’s got to be inside of it. … There’s got to be thousands of people inside it. One of the towers just came down on top of everybody!” – Unidentified fire lieutenant.
* A conversation between an off-duty dispatcher and her supervisor:
Supervisor: “Why are you crying, Carol?”
Dispatcher: “The World Trade Center collapsed.”
Supervisor: “Everything is collapsed, baby.”
Dispatcher: “All those people, what about the EMTs and paramedics and firefighters in there helping people get out?”
Supervisor: “I don’t know, sweetie, I really don’t know.”
* “Keep praying. They’ll be in there soon. It takes a while to get up those stairs … It’s going to be fine. It’s going to be fine.” – Dispatcher to Sept. 11 victim Melissa Doi, who died on the 83rd floor of the south tower.
* “We have six men here. Do you want us to find our way down there? … OK, we’re going to try and respond down to the trade center.” – Fire Lt. Raymond Murphy, who died after volunteering his services.
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