Changes to fire departments in wake of 9/11 terrorist attacks

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) – September 10, 2001, is not a day many people talk about. It was the day before the terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington D.C., before so many facets of our national security changed.

Those changes trickle down from the national level into our local fire departments. While some changes that came in response to 9/11 were physical, others were more internal.

“Before 9/11, fire department or firefighter mental health maybe wasn’t at the forefront,” said Birmingham Fire and Rescue Captain Orlando Reynolds. “Because of that and seeing the backlash and the trauma that’s associated with 9/11, that more attention has been paid to our mental health, which is a great thing.”

Like many, Captain Reynolds remembers exactly where he was when the twin towers were hit on September 11, 2001.

“I was actually just getting off work from the station and I was headed home. Got home and I actually thought I was looking at some sort of infomercial, seeing it live on tv, it was just kind of very humbling to see this actually happening right before your eyes,” he said. “Knowing how we respond, what we do, what we’re trained to do, I kind of knew immediately the women and men there was possibly in danger.”

Reynolds says since 9/11, he’s noticed firefighters think differently about the job.

“The little things some people may have taken for granted, not only firefighters but civilians as well, we don’t do that anymore. We understand that going home to your family in the morning is really a blessing,” Reynolds said.

After 9/11, firefighters say the communication on scenes evolved. The Department of Homeland Security was created. Pelham Fire says under DHS, the National Incident Management System was made, allowing local, state and federal resources to communicate on larger incidents.

“With an event of that magnitude, all of our resources have to come together and work together so whether it’s the fire department, police department, EMS agencies, state or federal agencies, we all have to be on the same page and the same team so that we can get the job done,” Pelham Deputy Fire Chief Matt Maples said.

Firefighting uniforms have also gone through upgrades as a result of 9/11. From their helmets to their boots, Pelham Fire says they can now withstand more hazardous materials and detect chemical and biologibcal weapons.

“One of the things that we try to stay vigilant about is making sure our crews have respiratory protection in the event that they encounter any sort of contaminants, that way they don’t have any pulmonary issues later in their career,” said Maples.

Firefighters say 9/11 gave first responders a “new normal,” and things will never be the way they were on September 10, 2001.

“I don’t know if it will ever be normal again, I think that’s always going to be in the back of our heads,” said Maples. “But because of it, we continue to train, make sure that we’re adequately prepared to handle any type of incident that we may encounter in the future.”

A handful of 9/11 remembrance events will be happening around the region Thursday. You can find more details in the story here.