9/11 Emergency Calls Transcripts
N E W Y O R K , Aug. 28 -- Authorities have released transcripts of the final conversations of 33 Port Authority employees who were inside the World Trade Center during the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that collapsed the twin towers and killed nearly 3,000 people.
The transcripts, about 2,000 pages worth, were created from tapes of emergency calls and radio transmissions made after hijacked planes were slammed into the twin towers.
A spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owned the buildings, says some of the victims identified themselves by name on the tape. Others' voices were recognized by co-workers.
Some surviving family members are angered or upset by the impending release, while others believe the transcripts can provide valuable insight into the tragedy.
In all, the Port Authority lost 37 police officers and 47 civilian employees in the attack. In addition to the Port Authority workers, three other people are also heard in those calls.
Excerpts of some of the calls follow. They are broken down according to emergency and communication channels.
WTC Ch. 07 MALE: Either … either a plane crashed into the Trade Center, or a rocket hit the Trade Center. And, uh, people are all over the place, dead.
…MALE A: The first one they think was a guy shooting the missiles off the Woolworth Building. And the second one they think is an airplane that was circling to watch it, and hit the World Trade. FEMALE: Oh, man. And both towers are hit? MALE A: Both towers. So I ain't going home for awhile. I don't know what you want to do, son …
WTC Ch. 09PORT AUTHORITY POLICE OFFICER MAGGETT: Port Authority Police [person's name]MALE - 78TH FLOOR 1WTC: Yes, uh, we're on the 78th floor, at Hundai Securities. Do we need to evacuate or not? POLICE OFFICER MAGGETT: Right away. MALE - 78TH FLOOR 1WTC: Right now? POLICE OFFICER MAGGETT: Right away. MALE - 78TH FLOOR 1WTC: OK, which stairs do we take? POLICE OFFICER MAGGETT: Uh, whichever is the easiest one nearest without too much smoke and everything. Try to get the best way down. MALE -
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