9-11 was a day I'll "Never Forget" and will always remember.
Steve Souder, Director, Fairfax County, Virginia Department of Public Safety Communications
On September 11, 2011 I was the Administrator of the Arlington County, Virginia 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Center (ECC). The Pentagon is located less then a mile from the 9-1-1 center. I was in the center preparing to leave to attend a press conference on Capitol Hill in Washington that would recognize 9-1-1 Day; which is what 9-11 was called prior to 9-11. Watching TV and seeing what had occurred in New York City my immediate thoughts, and those of my call taker's, dispatcher's and supervisor's, were for the people in the World Trade Center, the firefighters and police officers... on and responding to the scene AND to our 9-1-1 colleagues in New York, who we instinctively knew were handling the most challenging 9-1-1 calls they had ever received and communicating with units that were in great peril. When the second plane struck the South/#2 Tower all doubt was lifted that the first plane strike was an accident. My thoughts then turned to ... might the Pentagon be the next building targeted?..... and 34 minutes later - at 0937... it was. 9-11 changed the world as we knew it and removed 9-1-1 Day from the calendar. However, it established 9-1-1 personnel as the "First of the First Responders" and "most unsung of the unsung heroes". Ten years and 3,652 days have passed; there hasn't been a day that I haven't thought, for at least a few minutes, about 9-11. Today (9-11-11)...I felt compelled to go to the Pentagon at sunrise, before the crowds and media arrived, to reflect, as I have for the past 10 years. After that I went to the Arlington County ECC to thank the personnel that were working 10 years ago for the outstanding job they had done. The APCO Executive Committee; Greg Riddle, Terry Hall, and Dick Mirgon were there to pay their respects as well. Bill Carrow was unable to attend because of a commitment in Delaware. For me, as tragic as 9-11 was, I consider it a humble and personal privilege too have had the opportunity to work with so many good personnel on such a historic day, doing what we were trained and committed to do...help save lives. On 9-11 almost 2,800 lives were lost and since then more then 7,000 military personnel have lost their lives. Remember them all and God Bless America.
Steve Souder, Virginia Chapter APCO, LIFE member
Steve Souder, Director
Fairfax County, Virginia
Department of 9-1-1 / Public Safety Communications
Office......571-350-1701
Fax.......703-631-2789
Mobile.....571-641-7028
Pager......703-213-6049
E-mail.....steve.souder@fairfaxcounty.gov
Website.....fairfaxcounty.gov/911
Fairfax County 9-1-1, always there, always ready.24/7/365