9/11

Its clear (by tv evidence) that there is plenty to remind us that the 5 Year anniversary since the the world trade center disaster.

I have watched two programmes this year partly, and probably wrongly because I was in New York earlier in the year and wanted to see something to remind of the trip. However I think it is a defining moment in current history and deserves special attention.

I don't really want to focus this post too much on the event and what lead to it, neither where we have ended up after it - but wanted to give a review of two programmes I watched so far.

The first was about a rookie firefighter at Ladder 1, just around the corner from ground zero. Basically a documentry group were following this fire fighter with cameras around as he graduated and joined the fire department. However, I think it was 8 weeks into filming when 9/11 hit. The documentry showed how the firefighter and the ladder 1 team worked capturing all the images, fears and emotions. I was struck that when the firefighters entered the WTC you could see the pillars and windows at the floor were buckled and cracked. It was a brilliant and shocking thing to watch. Furthermore it told what happened to the people afterwards and how their lives were changed.

The other documentry was about the 13 / 14 people that were the single surviving people in Tower 1 when it collapsed. Again, it was amazing the hear their stories, see what it was like where the people were etc etc. It was terribly moving as they introduced how relatives felt and how they struggled to get news about their loved ones. It also pointed out that the survivors would not have survived if it wasn't for a single woman that they decided to help.

Here is a picture of the remaining buildings and the gap where the WTC should be I took when I was there earlier in the year. Its a very solemn place and very thought provoking.