9/11, 6 years later

6 years today, i was sitting in my grade 13 kines class when the fire alarm went off... outside everyone went for another start of school year fire drill... while outside, someone received a text message alert saying that the WTC was hit by an airplane. The rest of the day was spent wondering what would come next, watching TV's in the foyer and cafeteria. The home town that I grew up in is 4 hours north of Toronto, Ontario, so our airport is Pearson International Airport's back up... we were anticipating the large influx of people who might end up in our little town.

We only got 6 planes.. the people were housed in the army barracks at the airport. Life continued. I was lucky, I don't konw anyone who was directly impacted by a friend or a family member who was lost 6 years ago.

Now, as a member of EMS, I feel the pain that must be felt around the US and the world, remembering their loved ones as the anniversary comes and goes. hundreds of rescuers, lost. Thousands of people, still on the missing list. Hundreds of people who have been and will still be lost in the war on terrorism that followed that day.

My life has stayed on track, my career has started, but we are only one call away from being finished. Take care of yourself out there, get over the little spats you and your partner have and work together. Take care of your family, go home the same way you left.

Lessons from 9/11, it can all be over in a heartbeat.