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The 2024 anniversary of 9/11 marks 23 years since the tragic events that forever altered the course of history and the landscape of public safety.
As we move further from that fateful day, the significance of remembering and learning from 9/11 grows even more critical. For many, especially younger generations, 9/11 is transitioning from a lived experience to a historical event, making it essential for public safety professionals to ensure that the lessons identified are not only remembered, but actively applied in today’s ever-evolving emergency response environment.
In this special crossover episode of the Policing Matters, Better Every Shift and Inside EMS podcasts, Cohosts Jim Dudley, Aaron Zamzow and Rob Lawrence highlight the importance of remembering 9/11 not just as a historical event but as a continuing influence on how public safety agencies operate today.
Memorable quotes
- “We’re already going from memory into history ... we must make sure that we continue to reflect, remember and, from a public safety sense, learn.” — Rob Lawrence
- “Cancer is an epidemic in the fire service ... we cannot forget how much all of these people sacrificed, not only that day but in the years that followed.” — Aaron Zamzow
- “We need to be more prevention-driven ... It’s hard to justify expenses for prevention, but responding after the fact is even harder.” — Jim Dudley
- “Technology, intelligence gathering capability has now come on in leaps and bounds to help ensure that something like this never happens again.” — Rob Lawrence
Top takeaways
Listen in as the co-hosts discuss:
- Transition from memory to history: The hosts reflected on how the events of 9/11 are shifting from lived memory to history, especially for younger generations who weren’t alive at the time. This shift emphasizes the importance of continued reflection, remembrance and learning from the past to ensure that the lessons of 9/11 remain relevant in today’s public safety practices.
- Health and wellness in public safety: The ongoing health impacts on first responders, particularly those involved in the 9/11 response, remain significant. Cancer has become an epidemic within the fire service, largely due to the long-term effects of exposure during the recovery efforts. The discussion highlighted the critical need for continuous support, and improved health and wellness initiatives for all first responders.
- Technology as a force multiplier: The role of technology in public safety has evolved dramatically since 9/11. Drones, AI and real-time crime centers are now integral tools in preventing and responding to emergencies. However, the conversation also noted that there is still much work to be done in integrating these technologies fully, especially in areas like drone deployment in public safety operations.
- Lessons identified vs. lessons learned: A key theme of the discussion was the difference between identifying lessons and actually learning from them. The hosts stressed that while many lessons have been identified from 9/11, ensuring they are fully learned and applied in current practices is an ongoing challenge.
- Continued preparedness and prevention: The importance of a prevention-driven approach, rather than a purely response-driven one, was underscored. This includes better use of intelligence, technology and inter-agency collaboration to prevent future attacks and ensure a coordinated response if they occur.
This anniversary serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made and the ongoing need for vigilance, preparedness and innovation in protecting our communities.
Police1 is using generative AI to create some content that is edited and fact-checked by our editors.
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