It’s been 10 years since America woke up the morning of Sept.
11, 2001 to news that the country was under attack. As the World
Trade Center towers came down to everyone’s shock, the city of
Morgan Hill began its grieving process with the rest of the
country.
It’s been 10 years since America woke up the morning of Sept. 11, 2001 to news that the country was under attack. As the World Trade Center towers came down to everyone’s shock, the city of Morgan Hill began its grieving process with the rest of the country.
Since then, local first responders recall with humility the gratitude shown by their communities, and the far-reaching legacy of those attacks reflects itself, in part, by how we might respond if something similar happens again.
Councilman Rich Constantine, a firefighter for the city of San Jose, plans to attend the 10th anniversary tribute ceremony at the former site of the World Trade Center in New York on Sept. 11.
“It’s my way of paying back the firefighters in New York,” said Constantine, who was at work at Station 18 in San Jose on the day of the attacks.
Ever since Sept. 11, 2001, due to the resulting outpouring of support shown to the New York department, a firefighter from that city has attended the funeral of every firefighter that has died in the line of duty nationwide.
Constantine, who grew up in New York, noted that 343 New York firefighters died at the World Trade Center site on Sept. 11, 2001.
It will be the second time Constantine has visited Ground Zero. The first was in 2002 when he visited as part of SJFD’s employee assistance efforts.
The enthusiastic support for first responders spread to the opposite coast, where Constantine said even in San Jose the firefighters were constantly in receipt of gifts such as home-made cookies and ‘thank you’s.’
“It wasn’t new to us, but because of the tragedy of 9/11 people are more aware of the inherent danger of the job,” Constantine said.
He added all the support has made him and other firefighters “uncomfortable.”
“People say we’re heroes, but we don’t feel that way,” Constantine said. “It’s our job.”
Lasting legacy in public safety
With tragedy comes regular reminders in Morgan Hill of changes in direct response to events both big and small.
One way that public safety work has improved since the 2001 terrorist attacks is that agencies from different cities and jurisdictions have improved their communications with each other, and their ability to help each other, Morgan Hill police chief David Swing said.
“Since 9/11, we’ve had a more regional approach to our response, both on day-to-day calls and planning for large-scale events, and in our response with fire,” Swing said. “There’s a greater focus on a unified approach in our response.”
Federal funding made available to cities and counties through the department of homeland security gave police more training opportunities, Swing added.
Also since Sept. 11, 2001, all officers have been equipped with a “personal protection” kit containing a gas mask and other tools to use in case of a major bioterrorism event.
Sgt. Bill Norman agreed that cooperation and communication among agencies has improved since Sept. 2001. An officer in Fremont at the time of the attacks, Norman had the day off and remembers thinking he would likely be called in that day. “I strongly felt something would happen on the West Coast,” Norman said.
For the Santa Clara Valley Water District security was heightened.
“It really transformed at our security measures,” said Marty Grimes, spokesperson for the Santa Clara Valley Water District. “We had to curtail a lot of the tours that we do.”
A special security update in 2002 let the public know of water facilities changes.
“In addition to assuring the public that we are taking prudent steps to respond to all potential threats to our water supply, we are asking for your assistance in reporting any unusual activity around water district facilities in your area,” read the update.
Added are around-the-clock security guards at water treatment plants and pumping stations, video monitoring, intrusion detection and alarm systems, as well as consistent badge checks of employees. Also enacted were revised security procedures including responses to bomb threats and continued water testing.
Students offer support to victims
The Morgan Hill Unified School District displayed an example of support for the victims in the 2001 publication of “Our Schools.”
Children from Nordstrom Elementary wrote letters to the Family Assistance Center in New York City. To their surprise, the students received letters back from those families, thanking them. Â
“Dear children and teachers: Thank you for all your kind words of praise and encouragement. It truly means so much to all of us. I am a New York City police officer and my husband is a New York firefighter-thank you for all the lovely pictures and letters.”
In November 2001, Martin Murphy Middle School and Los Paseos Elementary held a Day of Unity Ceremony to honor those that died. Walsh Elementary, among many other schools, raised donations to New York City firefighters and gathered around a 20 x 30-foot United States flag.
For the 10-year anniversary, Britton Middle School will hold its daily patriotic observance with the Pledge of Allegiance, with a moment of silence and remembrance message. Flags will be flown at half-staff in respect for lives lost.
Local Muslim community continues outreach
The South Valley Islamic Community is unperturbed by incidents of discrimination and backlash against followers of the Muslim religion reported nationwide in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks.
Bakri Musa, 66 of Morgan Hill, and Hamdy Abbass, 58 of Hollister, represent the small community – about 50 families – of active, practicing Muslim residents from south San Jose to Hollister.
They said in the past 10 years they haven’t heard any local formal or informal reports of hate crimes, threats or discrimination from a false association of the Muslim religion with the attacks.
The only thing that comes close is a flurry of comments posted to local web sites in response to the SVIC’s efforts to build a community center and mosque in San Martin, Abbass said.
Overall, local Muslims received more support than negativity from the community at large, with plenty of phone calls offering help immediately after the attacks, Abbass said.
Even before the terrorist attacks, the SVIC has always tried to reach out to the local community, to promote a dialogue of understanding among different cultures.
The group has worked with Gavilan College on academic efforts, as Abbass has given lectures on Islamic history for classes at the school.
Plus, the SVIC has hosted a number of local “open house” meetings in south Santa Clara County, inviting the public to join and share their knowledge and understanding.
The SVIC plans to continue conducting such meetings as they proceed with their plans for the Cordoba center in San Martin.
In the bigger picture, the SVIC and the Muslim community as a whole has always denounced the 2001 terrorist attacks, Abbass and Musa said.
“A great misconception about 9/11, is that (some) people think Islam is at war,” said Abbass, who is originally from Egypt. “Islam had nothing to do with 9/11.”
Islam is a peaceful religion that promotes understanding between neighbors, explained Musa, a surgeon at Saint Louise Regional Hospital and a founder of the SVIC.
Worldwide, Muslims were “victimized twice” by the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
“We are all American. Our children grew up here. Any attack on America is an attack on us,” Abbass said.
They also know they couldn’t be more free to practice their religion than they are in America, as other Muslim countries govern along strict, yet distorted and discriminatory interpretations of Islamic law.
“Our faith has flourished in America because of freedom,” Musa said.
