File Photo
Greer Fire Chief Dorian Flowers, right, tells his memory of 9/11 and visiting the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg, Md., where Bush told first responders assembled, that airstrikes were beginning at the Taliban government installations and Al Qaeda training camps in Afghanistan. Retired chief Chris Harvey is on the left.
Part of a steel beam from the World Trade Center towers rests at the 911 Memorial at the Boiling Springs Fire Department.
The Firefighters Prayer.
On 9/11/01 the United States witnessed its worst terrorist attack ever on American soil – 2,751 lives were lost.
Men and women of the first responders risked their lives to ensure the safety of the U.S.
The Boiling Springs Fire District held its annual memorial service Friday to honor first responders who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Other memorials were held across the greater Greer area.
Greer Fire Chief Dorian Flowers talked with Amanda Hopper about his memories of that fateful day in American history and the day President George W. Bush visited the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg, Md.
On that day, Oct. 7, 2001 Bush told the assembled first responders, including Flowers, the U.S. and Britain began airstrikes against the Taliban government installations and Al Qaeda training camps in Afghanistan.
Following is Flowers’ comments.
I was the office at the fire station in North Hanover County in Wilmington, N.C. We saw the footage on TV and obviously started taking note. There was a lot of live video. I remember watching the live video as the second plane hit.
I remember feeling such shock. When the second plane hit I knew it was deliberate. I remember thinking about the implications of what that meant for our country.
You could see people jumping (from the World Trade Center towers). I can’t image what it would take for someone to make that decision.
I started to imagine the amount of damage the plane had done and the amount of fuel from the plane and knew it would mean a huge loss of life.
My biggest memory regarding 911 was when I attended the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg, Md.
I had been before but I knew this time was different, not because of what had happened but because there were more guards. Then I heard the helicopters … it was president Bush.
He came that day (Oct. 7, 2001) to announce to us first we were going to war. He announced it and then quickly left in the helicopter, stating he was very busy, as we could imagine.”
Kurt Musgrave wrote:
I was on duty at Glassy Mountain Fire Department. Chief called over the radio and told us to turn on CNN. I turned on Fox News, and rank into the kitchen to get the rest of the crew that the World Trade Center was on fire. Over the next few minutes, it became clear what was happening. We didn’t leave the TV room for the rest of the shift.
Shannon Fleming wrote:
I was in high school, we lived in New Jersey at the time. I remember being in gym class and peopled started saying that one of the Towers was on fire. I guess once the second plane hit, my mom freaked out and got me and my siblings from school.
It wasn’t until we got home and saw the footage that I realized how bad it was. It wasn’t long after we got home that I watched frozen, as the towers fell. I wept for all those people and their families. How terrifying that must have been, I can’t even imagine.
Contact Amanda Hopper here for your memories.