A personal report from a Washington, DC firefighter

[Neil Ward]

The report below comes from one of my business contacts in Washington.  I'm
sure he won't mind me posting it here, as he wrote the account for a local
newspaper.

In his spare time, this guy is a volunteer firefighter in Falls Church,
Virginia outside Washington, DC, and he was formerly a firefighter in New
York.  The account below concerns this volunteer's view, as part of the
Arlington County Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department, which
covers the Pentagon.

Neil

****
"Smoke continued to rise across South Arlington as we approached a landscape
covered with emergency vehicles from the entire metropolitan area.  Metro
employees were directing busses for transportation and shelter.  The Red
Cross as well as Falls Church and Annandale Fire Department canteens, the
Salvation Army, and others were efficiently serving hundreds of workers.
Military  personnel and specialized rescue teams were preparing for the grim
tasks of recovering and identifying victims. Chaplains from all faiths
circulated among the firefighters and their fellow military personnel
offering encouragement.

A DC fire truck passed through the busy field with an American flag flying
from the back step.  It captured the sense of unity in the immediate
surroundings.  Men and women of every race and background were engaged in an
effort with the same sense of purpose that has enabled our countrymen to
withstand challenges at home and abroad for over two centuries.
The unique construction of the Pentagon and the catastrophic damage made
extinguishment of the fire very difficult.  Pockets of flame on the roof
were visible throughout the night, but crews worked methodically to control
them.

Anyone who has visited the Pentagon is normally struck by the efficiency and
order of the massive complex.  Upon entering the building with our crew, a
very different picture gradually came into focus in the smoky hallways.
Debris clogged some corridors almost from the floor to the ceiling.
Thousands of files, desks, office equipment, and other articles were
scattered everywhere.  Supply carts, tools, and other items were left where
workers had been before evacuating.  A tree in the courtyard contained
clothing and other every-day items blown from the building.

For an hour or so, we placed lights inside the structure and repositioned
hose lines used at the height of the fire.  The men and women who initially
responded had obviously faced enormous and more exhausting challenges, and
some of our colleagues reported far more gruesome scenes from other areas of
the building.

When our duties were completed, we boarded a school bus to return to the
fire station.  After cleaning up our gear and replacing equipment, I
realized that my car was still parked in a DC garage.  I walked home through
the silent streets of the City, a good opportunity to offer a prayer of
thanks for the safety of my friends and family and to reflect on what is
truly important in life.  As I approached Cherry Hill Park, a police officer
was returning to routine patrol.  The soft light on the George Mason
monument next to City Hall was a reminder of the principles we so often take
for granted, ideals that were severely tested this day.

When I arrived home and saw my 3 year old daughter sleeping in the dim light
from our hallway, I was reminded of  the famous painting inspired by
President Roosevelt and drawn by Norman Rockwell in the darkest days of
World War II.  The work is entitled Freedom from Fear and shows parents
putting their children to bed.  The father is holding a newspaper bearing a
headline about the Pacific Theater.

Tuesday's events tested the courage of thousands of Americans and indelibly
etched terrible images in our minds and hearts.  Our open society
occasionally exacts a terrible price when confronted by those with evil
intentions.  Our nation and our way of life have often been challenged, but
never in such a calculated and brutal manner directed at so many citizens in
the midst of their daily routines.
We can take comfort, however, in the fact that the tragic events inspired
the overwhelming majority of our fellow citizens to do good in so many ways.
In the days ahead, we will know the full impact on our own City and
neighboring communities, where the families of many victims will need our
prayers and support.  Let us all sustain that urge to help in consoling and
assisting those who have suffered from this national tragedy.  Let us also
pray for healing in a world where the violence we have just experienced is a
constant and nagging fear of millions."