Charlotte’s top public servants reflect on 9/11 attack

CHARLOTTE — It’s been 25 years since a tragedy stole thousands of lives and shook our country’s sense of safety.

Now, in remembrance, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation invites the public to participate in a memorial stair climb.

“Families come out, they carry the name of a lost firefighter, and it’s there to make sure that we never forget those that we lost,” said Charlotte Fire Chief Reginald Johnson.

We all feel the weight of that loss, especially the loved ones and our first responders.

Channel 9’s Erica Bryant had the privilege of sitting down with the heads of fire, police, MEDIC, and the sheriff’s office in Charlotte. Combined, they have nearly 200 years of public service.

They shared their thoughts about the day that changed everything.

“What it did was open our eyes to say, hey, anything can happen. I think we were under a previous vision that nothing could happen here stateside,” Johnson said. “And all that went away that day. And so now, we prepare every day for worst-case scenario.”

Reflecting on 9/11, the top brass of Charlotte’s public service agencies sat down to share their perspectives.

MEDIC Executive Director John Peterson said, “One of the things I remember as a first responder then that we all did is we went to work. Whether we were on duty or you’re off duty, we showed up, ready for whatever.”

More than two decades later, the lessons and emotions are still there.

Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden said: “You feel helpless. You know your brothers and sisters went into a building without fear, and they lost their lives. And we will always remember that when you feel helpless and you couldn’t help, I think we live with that sometimes.”

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Estella Patterson said: “I think that there was a hollowness that we all felt on 9/11 for our country, for our fellow brothers and sisters, but from it I think the unity that came within our professions. I think it just solidified us coming together as one team and continuing to work as one team even today.”

One team that runs toward danger when instinct says run away. For them, it’s second nature. It’s in their DNA. Instead of fear, the attack fueled them to work even harder.

“That experience absolutely reaffirmed for me that I was in the right profession,” Peterson said.

Patterson said: “I had just returned, as I was stating before, from being overseas, defending our country abroad. And when this happened, it just really reconfirmed my commitment to serve my country here.”

Peterson said: “So this is a noble profession. Whether it’s police, fire, EMS. What we do makes a difference. And there’s a lot of people out there that are going to be great first responders and who are going to go in when the call happens.”

Right now, the call is to honor the thousands who lost their lives 25 years ago on Flight 93, at the Pentagon and in the Twin Towers.

With a 9/11 memorial stair climb, the span of 110 floors at Bank of America Corporate Center.

Johnson said: “It is really, it should be a time to remember when you’re taking those steps. Just think about firefighters, law enforcement, EMT, that were climbing those steps into an unknown, a very dangerous unknown.”

If you would like to honor those who died, you can participate in the Charlotte 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb.

It’s Saturday morning at the Bank of America Corporate Center. You can register online or on site that morning. The opening ceremony is at 8 a.m. The climb starts at 8:45.

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