ONLINE EDITION FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 14, 2001

News

Wednesday, Sept. 12 - A deep sense of shock and sadness pervaded the communities of Nassau County today, in the wake of yesterday's terrorist strikes on America, which are being described by President Bush as "the most devastating terrorist attacks in the nation's history," and "an act of war."

Many residents of this New York City suburb are now fearing for the lives of friends and family members believed to be inside the World Trade Center when the Twin Towers were destroyed by two hijacked passenger jets, one American and one United, that crashed into the buildings yesterday morning. An estimated 50,000 people worked in New York City's Twin Towers, certainly many of them from Nassau County, and residents are only beginning to comprehend the magnitude of the casualties.

In addition to the employees at the World Trade Center, and the passengers in the hijacked jets, many of the estimated 400 New York City firefighters and police officers believed to be killed when the Twin Towers collapsed are from Long Island. As of 10:45 a.m. today, only a few survivors and 80 bodies had been recovered, while thousands were believed to be amid the rubble. Victims' families and friends, in a desperate attempt to locate their loved ones, have also flocked to wreckage.

The destruction of the World Trade Center was among a coordinated series of attacks on America's greatest symbols beginning at approximately 8:45 a.m. yesterday; the Pentagon - America's center of military operations - in Washington D.C. was also hit by a commercial airliner yesterday morning, and at least 800 people were killed there. Close to 300 passengers and crew members were killed in four commercial passenger jet crashes involved in a carefully calculated, multiple airline hijacking used to carry out the unthinkable attacks. A total of about 20 hijackers, armed with knives, reportedly disabled airline crew members and operated the jets as missiles in their suicidal missions. In addition to the crashes at the World Trade Center and Pentagon, a fourth jet, apparently diverted from an attempted attack on the White House, crashed in Somerset, PA. Indeed, yesterday was a dark day in U.S. history - in the history of the world - and the attack was an affront to the freedom that is the heart of America.

President Bush, in an address at 11 a.m. this morning, called the attacks acts of war, and said that the enemy will be conquered. There have been over 700 tips to the FBI as investigators search for the perpetrators. "The deliberate and deadly attacks that were carried out against our country yesterday, were more than acts of terror. They were acts of war," the President said. "This is an enemy that tries to hide, but it won't be able to hide forever. This is an enemy that thinks its harbors are safe, but its harbors won't be safe forever."

The commander in chief said the government is open for business, but not business as usual, as the US military is on full guard. Based on US intelligence information, he said he believes the perpetrators are finished with a carefully executed attack, although he added, "We are operating on heightened security alert.

"We will not allow this enemy to win the war by changing our way of life or restricting our freedoms," he assured. He vowed to rally the world against the shadowy enemy behind the attacks, and anyone who harbors that enemy.

Bush said he has requested emergency funding from Congress to help recover victims, help the citizens of New York City and Washington D.C. respond to the tragedy, and to protect national security. "We are prepared to spend whatever it takes," he said.

He added, "America is united. The freedom-loving nations of the world stand by our side. This will be a monumental struggle of good versus evil, but good will prevail."

Some believe Osama Bin Laden, the militant fundamentalist financier harbored by the ruling Taliban government in Afghanistan, was behind the attacks, and following the attack, Senator Orrin Hatch said US. Intelligence had intercepted communication from a suspected terrorist tied to Bin Laden reporting that the attack had been executed. However, federal officials have indicated that the perpetrators are unknown, and that we are at war with an unknown enemy. This morning, there were reports of arrests of suspects tied to the attack, in New Jersey and South Florida.

Emergency personnel from Nassau County have rushed to New York City to assist search and rescue operations at the World Trade Center, and those concerned for loved ones are also on the scene - seeking information and overwrought with worry and grief. The entire metropolitan area seems to have pulled together in the midst of this tragedy, and New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Governor George Pataki and federal officials have expressed resolve in overcoming the attack.

"We're not going to let these cowards scare us," said Mayor Giuliani. "We're going to rebuild. We're not only going to rebuild. We're going to come out of this stronger than we were before."

Governor Pataki said this morning, "We will get through this. America will get through this. We will not be intimidated. We will not lose our freedom."

Pataki also announced this morning that additional National Guard and State Police will be sent to New York City by tonight to assist in the response effort. "All state personnel and resources at our disposal are committed to helping New Yorkers in response to this unspeakable and horrific tragedy," he said. "Thousands of state and Guard personnel and state troopers have been dispatched to New York City. More are on the way. We will continue to work with the White House, the mayor's office, and the appropriate state, local and federal emergency authorities to ensure the most coordinated and effective emergency response possible." US Navy ships are also on guard in New York City's harbors.

Approximately 360 victims of the World Trade Center attack were taken to St. Vincent's Hospital in lower Manhattan yesterday. As of noon today, 50 bodies were recovered, as well as some survivors, including five firefighters. Many people trapped in the wreckage have also been contacting family and emergency personnel via cell phones.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell is also saying this is a time of war for our country, and called the attacks an act of war against civilization. According to CBS News Polls, 60 percent of Americans expect that, like Pearl Harbor, yesterday's incident will pull this country into war.

In a prepared statement released on Tuesday, Nassau County Executive Thomas Gulotta expressed sympathy to the victims' families. He said, "I have offered the assistance of Nassau County resources to the mayor and the authorities of New York City. In Nassau County, our Emergency Management Office is at Level 3, the highest level of county preparedness." He added, "With regard to police services, we have doubled our police patrols, and have provided special surveillance for those buildings and facilities which we have determined are particularly sensitive during these circumstances."

Moving swiftly in response to the terrorist attack, Nassau County Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs, on behalf of the Democratic majority, immediately offered the county's support and a commitment to do whatever is necessary to assist with the recovery effort currently underway.

Thus far, said Jacobs, the county has responded by deploying 370 uniformed police officers to the area along with 32 police department supervisors, emergency vehicles and volunteer firefighters.

With the state Office of Emergency Management directing the effort and Nassau Firecom coordinating the local response, Jacobs said the county stands ready to use whatever resources are available to assist with the recovery. "In times of such a devastating disaster, we must all pull together to help each other," said Jacobs. "Nassau is committed to utilizing whatever resources are available to assist in recovering all those injured in this senseless tragedy and returning the victims to their families. We also stand poised to offer any help we can during the cleanup effort so that we can hopefully return a sense of security and status to our great city."

Working closely with County Executive Thomas Gulotta and the Republician minority, Jacobs thanks the county's Office of Emergency Management and its director Leonard Samansky, Sheriff Edward Reilly and the many municipalities throughout Nassau that have provided volunteers from their local fire departments.

Jacobs also announced that Hospice Care Network in Westbury will provide specially trained counselors to individuals, schools, health care and senior citizen facilities and businesses in need of crisis intervention and grief support. To reach Hospice Care Network, please call 832-2520 ext. 232. The Central Nassau Guidance Counseling Services, located at 950 South Oyster Bay Road in Plainview, also has services available to schools throughout Nassau County.

Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto spoke for all Oyster Bay Board members and expressed his sorrow for the families and friends of the victims. "On Tuesday, September 11, we witnessed a terrorist attack of unprecedented proportion on our nation," he said. "While the physical strikes hit New York City and Washington, D.C., the emotional strikes went to the very heart and soul of our country.

"We, as a nation, are only beginning to deal with the terrible reality of what has happened. The repercussions of this horrific event will reverberate for years to come. But I know that the American spirit will prevail and we will do what we have to do with our heads held high. Speaking for myself and the other members of the Oyster Bay Town Board, we have put out the word that the town stands ready to help in any way possible. Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims, their families and friends as well as to all the emergency personnel who are pouring their resources into the rescue, recovery and cleanup effort."

Senator Carl Marcellino has been visiting local fire departments to understand the tragedy and how it is affecting local communities. "We join together to pray for the families and victims in the wake of the September 11 attack on our nation," Senator Marcellino said. "We pray for the firemen and policemen who rallied to the aid of the victims without regard for their own safety. Their extraordinary acts of heroism will stay with us forever.

"As a nation we must now be united to send a message against this reprehensible act. I agree with President Bush when he said 'America was targeted for attack because we are the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world and no one will keep that light from shining.' As a nation, we proved those words and our strength through the many acts of kindness and heroism displayed as we faced the evil that was sent to our shores. I am honored to represent the many heroes in my district and I send my prayers out to each and every one," Marcellino concluded.

Assemblyman Marc Herbst encourages residents to join together. "As the city, state and nation search for answers to these horrific acts, we must join together as a community to send our thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families and friends of this enormous tragedy," he said. "Considering the proximity of this tragedy we all know families, friends and neighbors whose lives have been dramatically altered by this chain of events and we must keep them in our thoughts.

"We must also acknowledge the heroics and selflessness of the hundreds of firefighters, emergency medical personnel and police who responded to help these innocent victims. My thoughts and prayers are with those firefighters, emergency personnel, police and other victims who are still missing at this time.

"I commend the commitment of President Bush, Governor Pataki, Mayor Giuliani and other local officials to work together in a search-and-rescue effort, as well as the effort to rebuild in the wake of these unthinkable attacks.

"Members of the community who would like to give blood to help save lives of injured victims should call 1-800-692-5663 or 1-800-933-2566," Assemblyman Herbst concluded.

Assemblyman David Sidikman spoke about his personal story and how this tragedy affected his family. "I have six grandchildren in Israel," said Sidikman. "We heard from them and they seem to be okay, but Israel is on a high alert status."

Sidikman also spoke about the state of the nation. "What happened here in America -I am filled with a sadness that I can't describe. This country has changed in a way that it will never be the same. We must rally together and wait for the president and his investigators to find the way that we are going to retaliate and to find the people who did it. We have to make an appropriate response.

"There are a million personal stories - some sad and others about the heroism of the volunteers, the police and the fire department. I am still in a state of shock and I think everyone is. To think that an important election was canceled, I don't know if this is a first in our country, because of an act of terrorism and we can't let them win," Sidikman concluded.

A joint statement was released by Assemblyman Thomas DiNapoli and Glen Cove Mayor Thomas Suozzi, the Democratic candidates for county executive in the primary election canceled yesterday. "Our prayers go out for the safety of those in the downtown Manhattan area and in Washington, D.C.," they stated.

The Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District immediately reacted to the crisis situation and the Crisis Response Team met Tuesday morning as soon as the news broke. This team put together plans that ranged from heightening security by reassigning custodians and grounds crew to having school psychologists, guidance counselors and social workers available to speak with students who needed or were referred to them because of the day's events.

"We had kids responding in two ways: those who were directly affected because they have a parent or loved one who works directly there or is a firefighter or police officer and then there were those who were just affected by the event itself," said Dr. Martin Brooks, Superintendent of the Plainview-Old Bethpage School District. "Some people are just stunned. We had our professionals available to meet with them as well as with staff who were affected. We were concerned that we had faculty that would be affected the same way that the kids were."

Brooks sent letters home to the parents and also to the staff letting them know what actions the school district was taking. Before any kindergarten and elementary-aged students were sent home, staff, PTA members and parent volunteers had to establish contact directly with parents before permitting students to get on the bus. "Our big fear was that we would have parents who work in the city and were not able to get home and we would have kids going on their normal bus route and not know what was going on," said Brooks. "We did not send any elementary student home until we knew that the parents were safe and were going to be home to meet the kids."

Staff and parents made calls to parents and emergency contacts all day and when it was time to board the buses home, approximately 70 kids could not get in touch with their parents. "We held those kids at school and kept making calls," said Brooks. "By about 6 p.m., we got in touch with everyone. Those who did not take the bus, we asked the parent to come to the school and pick them up. All of the kids got home safe and sound."

Wednesday morning the crisis response team met again focusing on the psychological side of the tragedy. "Guidance counselors, psychologists and social workers have been just great and they have been around the schools meeting with kids and staff on an as needed or as requested basis," said Brooks. Counseling sessions will continue throughout the week and letters will be sent home to keep the parents updated.

"Overall, I think that the staff did a magnificent job of communicating with kids about what was going on and helping to prepare them for what they would hear when they got home," said Brooks. "It was a real coming together at a time of great need. I hear tales of that in almost every place... So many people want to do something productive. There are mixed emotions - you feel sadness, fear and then anger. We tried to provide productive things for kids, staff and parents to do that would help them channel their energies to help the situation.

In light of the recent tragedy, the Mid Island Y JCC, located at 45 Manetto Hill Road in Plainview, will be opening its doors to the community on Sunday evening. "We will be coming together to express our feelings and emotions and hope to begin the healing process and certified social workers will be on hand," said a JCC representative. For more information, please contact the JCC at 822-3535.

The Manhattan skyline has been changed forever by the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Photo by Rob Rich