I really don't like talking about 9/11 because it still haunts me. Even though I did not loose anyone I knew personally, I used to work in 2 WTC (first on the 25th floor, then on the 82nd floor). I no longer worked at WTC when the attack occurred, but I remember my Daughter saying a friend's parent did not come home.
I had to drive to a meeting in the Bronx that day. As I was stuck in traffic, I saw the smoke coming out of the top of tower 1. We thought it was an accident. When I arrived for the meeting, they ushered us into another room that had a TV, and we saw the second tower have been hit. The guy who had traveled down from Albany wanted to have the meeting. I told him that I was sorry but that we were at war and I had to get home. I had to go North, but all of the bridges into the City were closed, so there was a horrific traffic jam. I drove on the left shoulder of the road for several miles in order to make it home that day. I don't think I would have made it if I had left a little later.
We should all remember the almost 3,000 lives lost that day, and especially the first responders who rushed in when everyone else was trying to get out.
The trade centers were originally built for State workers, in this way they did not have to comply with NYC building code, just the Federal code. (Of course, they moved us out when the rental values got too high) In addition, they did some other "unique" things that turned out to be troubling. Building code 101 says you do not get a C of O unless you have both a door in the front, and one in the back, which make it less likely for you to be trapped in a fire. Translated to sky scrapers, they (almost all) have stair wells in opposite corners. Not the WTC, it had 3 stairwells all in the center of the building, wrapped around the elevators. I have watched the plane crash videos dozens of times, they would not have taken out stairwells if they were in opposite corners. In addition, there were questions about the fireproofing of the steel beams, but I do not have the expertise to comment on this.
When I worked on the 82 floor I told everyone I worked with we needed parachutes. They all thought I was crazy and said the windows don't open and are unbreakable glass. I responded that the glass would break, and did they notice this was the ONLY place we ever worked that did not have fire drills? One co worker said "what do you think your chances would be with a parachute?" I responded "a heck of a lot better than not having one". When I see the people jumping out of the windows holding hands I want to cry. The image is still burned into my mind.
We are having a beautiful sunny day here today, I hope you all are also. Enjoy it, time is precious.
I had to drive to a meeting in the Bronx that day. As I was stuck in traffic, I saw the smoke coming out of the top of tower 1. We thought it was an accident. When I arrived for the meeting, they ushered us into another room that had a TV, and we saw the second tower have been hit. The guy who had traveled down from Albany wanted to have the meeting. I told him that I was sorry but that we were at war and I had to get home. I had to go North, but all of the bridges into the City were closed, so there was a horrific traffic jam. I drove on the left shoulder of the road for several miles in order to make it home that day. I don't think I would have made it if I had left a little later.
We should all remember the almost 3,000 lives lost that day, and especially the first responders who rushed in when everyone else was trying to get out.
The trade centers were originally built for State workers, in this way they did not have to comply with NYC building code, just the Federal code. (Of course, they moved us out when the rental values got too high) In addition, they did some other "unique" things that turned out to be troubling. Building code 101 says you do not get a C of O unless you have both a door in the front, and one in the back, which make it less likely for you to be trapped in a fire. Translated to sky scrapers, they (almost all) have stair wells in opposite corners. Not the WTC, it had 3 stairwells all in the center of the building, wrapped around the elevators. I have watched the plane crash videos dozens of times, they would not have taken out stairwells if they were in opposite corners. In addition, there were questions about the fireproofing of the steel beams, but I do not have the expertise to comment on this.
When I worked on the 82 floor I told everyone I worked with we needed parachutes. They all thought I was crazy and said the windows don't open and are unbreakable glass. I responded that the glass would break, and did they notice this was the ONLY place we ever worked that did not have fire drills? One co worker said "what do you think your chances would be with a parachute?" I responded "a heck of a lot better than not having one". When I see the people jumping out of the windows holding hands I want to cry. The image is still burned into my mind.
We are having a beautiful sunny day here today, I hope you all are also. Enjoy it, time is precious.
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