On the morning of September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked four passenger airliners and crashed into the World Trade Center towers in New York City, the Pentagon in Arlington, VA, and a field near Shanksville, PA. After the impact of the first plane at the World Trade Center, the law enforcement community and fire and EMS personnel rushed to the site to assist with rescue and recovery.
The attacks on September 11, 2001, resulted in the tragic loss of 2,977 lives, including many courageous individuals remembered as "fallen heroes", including 343 firefighters, 71 law enforcement officers, and 8 paramedics who perished while responding to the attacks. These individuals, along with many civilians and military personnel, were killed at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The attacks also led to the deaths of 55 military personnel at the Pentagon. The event brought the country together like never before – and never since!
