The Furious Spinner

I just wept reading this story about the newly released 911 calls from people in the Twin Towers on 9/11. I feel for the terrified people waiting for help. I feel for the operators. I don't know what I would have done if they had told me to wait, that help was on the way. I think I would have believed them (and they certainly believed what they were saying). I think I would have waited. I don't really understand why they aren't releasing the complete recordings. (They've blocked the voice of the callers.) I would think the families would want that, although I certainly don't know.

Here's one exchange reported in the New York Times: "The dispatcher tried to soothe the man, finally saying, 'O.K. Listen, calm yourself down. We've got everybody outside. O.K.?'

"The man spoke and the dispatcher assured him help was on the way.

"'We are,' the dispatcher said. 'We're trying to get up there, sir. Like you said, the stairs are collapsed. O.K.? Everybody wet the towels and lie on the floor. O.K.? Put the wet towels over your head and lie down; O.K.? I know it's hard to breathe. I know it is.'"

Of course we know the towers collapsed not long after. 1 comments

1 Comments:

hi there. i'm from portland. i was googling trying to find a mary oliver poem that contains "i want to smell..." and came to your page. got drawn in. love you spirit, or what i read / see of it... just so bizarre there's so much about oregon, hood, ... wow. kindred by place maybe. anyway. hi and hugs from cyberland. alyson

By  Anonymous, at 12:04 PM  

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