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by Ernie Jackson
Director of Communications, NAUMD
 Sept. 11, 2001 began like any other day for me. I live on Staten Island, N.Y., an island 10 miles outside of Manhattan. Every morning I take a commuter express bus into the city. The bus travels from Staten Island through Brooklyns Battery Tunnel (Americas longest tunnel), comes out by Battery Park City and runs along West Street by the World Financial Center. Thats my hour and a half commute to work each way every day.
However, this day was different. This day, I decided that I would take the Staten Island Ferry into the city. On a whim, I changed my routine. It was a beautiful morning. I was a little annoyed when I missed the 8:00 a.m. ferry. The next one was at 8:15 a.m. Half an hour later, that ferry reached the Manhattan side, where I boarded my uptown train.
The train sat in the station for a long time. The train conductor finally announced over the loud speaker, Excuse me passengers, theres been an explosion at the World Trade Center. We will be skipping Cortlandt Street [the WTC stop]. People in the train car were annoyed but did not suspect it was anything more than a track fire or some electrical malfunction. Some passengers got off the stop before Cortlandt, some right after. The rest of us continued our trek uptown.
I walked out of the Times Square station into what is probably the most illuminated area in the world during the day. Big screen monitors all over the place were showing the most shocking scene anyone has seen to date the World Trade Center engulfed in flames. Then, in what can only be described as surreal, I watched (live on the biggest monitor in Times Square) as the second plane hit the North Tower. I have never seen New Yorkers just stop in their tracks. I watched this horror unfold and tried to make sense out of what I was seeing. I realized then that I just missed the first strike by five minutes. Had I taken the bus, like I usually do, I would have been in the debris fallout.
I immediately gathered my thoughts and went to the office. NAUMDs Executive Director Bernard Lepper and his assistant Irina Feygin were watching this disaster on the only local TV station that could broadcast: Channel 2. Their antenna was not atop the WTC so they were the only one able to transmit. When the first tower collapsed, it was devastating. Irina became emotional and broke down in tears. It was that powerful a scene, even on a grainy TV with a letter opener for an antenna. Office Manager Anne Marie McCann came in later and was equally shocked.
When the second tower collapsed, we all felt the need to get back to our loved ones and let them know we were all right, but this proved to be extremely challenging. Anne Marie had to walk five miles home from Manhattan to Jackson Heights, Queens, via the 59th Street Bridge. Two years shy of retirement, she was not looking forward to hiking this enormous distance, but she met up with a friend, which made the walk go faster. Irina, who lives in New Jersey, left the office at 2:15 p.m., and was home six and one half hours later. Her usual commute time is one hour and 15 minutes. She had to take a special ferry to New Jersey. Bernard lives in Manhattan, so his commute did not change.
My commute was a little more involved. I did not leave until 5:00 p.m. I knew there was another way to get from the city to Staten Island by going through Brooklyn via train and catching a bus over the Verazzano Narrows Bridge into Staten Island. My commute home was only three hours.
The next day the city was closed, as were all bridges and tunnels. No one could get off Staten Island. We were, for the first time, trapped on the island. The Staten Island Ferry was moving only rescue vehicles. It would remain that way for four days. The days following were the start of a new way of living: part fear, part questioning. It was the only thing to watch on TV or read about in the newspapers for many weeks to come.
Two days after the attacks, I made it into the office, finding Bernard and Irina working on a letter to the members of the NAUMD requesting donations to help the rescue effort. Immediately after this fax was broadcast, members of the NAUMD stepped up to the plate with cash donations as well as uniforms and supplies for the rescue workers. To date, members of the NAUMD donated $1,581,892 in uniforms, boots and accessories to the recovery effort. Bernard said that the outpouring of support has been unprecedented. The cash donations will be distributed to the families of the lost rescue workers.
We still have a long way to go in this battle. Every weekend, a memorial service is held somewhere in the city or just outside of it. Every day since the attack, The New York Times has carried a story on the victims lost. Personally, I knew three people who did not survive.
Either coincidence or fate spared others. Anne Maries son-in-law woke up late that day and went to the other office in Long Island because it was quicker and he wouldnt be as late. Its not often that sleeping in saves your life.
Everything has changed. We are getting through it, but we are all living a new life in a new way. I had been on the job for one week on Sept. 11. The generosity of the uniform apparel industry has shown me its true character.
In addition to supporting the memorial fund, many members of the NAUMD donated their uniforms and equipment to help the rescuers working at Ground Zero.
Due to the intense heat, many rescue workers needed new shoes, boots and socks every day. Bates Uniform Footwear contributed boots. Footwear Specialists International, in conjunction with Nautilus Footwear and Third Watch, supplied safety footwear. LaCrosse gave knee boots and work boots (as well as rain pants and coats). Pro Feet sent socks. Rocky Boots distributed boots. Thor-Lo presented socks. Wasserman Uniforms donated boots. Weinbrenner Shoe Company provided safety boots.
Several other companies came to the aid of rescue workers. Allie Bros. gave uniforms. Bancroft Cap contributed caps. Blauer Manufacturing distributed outerwear and accessories. Cintas supplied uniforms. Du Pont donated Kevlar gloves, CooLMaX t-shirts and CooLMaX socks. Hatch Gloves provided gloves. Jeda Trading presented rainsuits. Rays Sport Shop sent protective clothing, footwear, raincoats and blankets. I. Spiewak & Sons distributed protective wear. VF Corporation, in conjunction with VF Knitwear Division, Global Intimate Apparel and JanSport, donated fire resistant apparel (including shirts, pants and coveralls), t-shirts, sweatshirts and undergarments.
Hotel Helper met other needs by handing out flashlights, batteries, aspirin, rubber gloves, hats and slippers to the rescue workers.
For more information about NAUMD member donations, visit www.naumd.com
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