The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11

During the WTC attacks, most first responders were FDNY members. Of the roughly 3,000 people killed in the events of 9/11, 343 were FDNY firefighters, 15 of whom were from the station closest to the WTC.

Based in the city of Rome, New York, NEADS is part of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) agency. In response to the 9/11 attacks, NEADS launched military jets over Washington, DC.

Along with the FDNY, the NYPD and PAPD responded to the WTC attacks. Twenty-three NYPD officers and 37 PAPD officers lost their lives on 9/11.

Located under the East Wing of the White House, the PEOC is a bunkerlike structure that serves as a secure shelter and communications center for the US president and others during an emergency like 9/11. This is a separate facility from the Situation Room, an intelligence management center on the ground floor of the White House’s West Wing.

Scrambling is the act of quickly deploying aircraft, usually in response to a pressing threat, such as hostile aircrafts. During the 9/11 attacks, scrambling of military aircraft was part of the response to the threat.