Voices of the First Responder: Reflections on 9/11 to Today

Recording of Zoom panel discussion held on September 7, 2021, in which PNNL leaders met with first responders from Seattle, Kirkland, Bellevue, and New York City, to explore the transformational effect the attacks of that day had on their careers, and how work since then spurred the development of improved, lifesaving tools for first responders.  The panel is introduced by host, Deb Gracio, Associate Lab Director for Pacific Northwest National Lab’s National Security Directorate, with remarks from PNNL Director Dr. Steve Ashby. Ann Lesperance, Director, Northwest Regional Technology Center at PNNL, moderates the discussion among guests John Esposito, Assistant Chief, NY Fire Department; Heather Kelly, Director of Emergency Management, Kirkland, WA; Perry Tarrant, Assistant Chief, Seattle Police Department (retired); and Jay Hagen, Fire Chief, Bellevue, WA.

PNNL and DHS – Perspectives on a 20 Year Partnership – Panel Discussion

Recording of Zoom panel discussion held on September 10, 2021, in which Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) employees discuss the impact of 9/11 on their careers, that day and since. Each panel member played a pivotal role in the foundations that became the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and has dedicated their career to national security. Panel members also discuss the future of science and technology needed to support DHS and the whole of state, regional, and federal governments in the years to come.

The panel is hosted by Deb Gracio, Associate Lab Director for National Security Directorate at PNNL, and moderated by Amanda Schoch, Chief Communications Officer for PNNL. Panel members include Cindy Bruckner-Lea, Senior Technical Advisor, Office of Science, US Department of Energy; Larry Morgan, Physical Chemist, Senior Project Manager, PNNL; Sonya Bowyer, National Security Advisor, PNNL; and Ryan Eddy, Sector Director, Homeland Security Programs, PNNL. 

Prior to the panel discussion, recorded video remarks are provided from Roger Snyder, Manager, U.S. Department of Energy Pacific Northwest Site Office and from Bob Burns, Executive Director, Innovation & Collaboration, S&T Directorate, Department of Homeland Security. Also featured are video remembrance from Mike Kluse, PNNL (retired), and the PNNL-produced video titled “We the People.” Concluding the panel and closing the week are remembrance and remarks from PNNL Director, Dr. Steve Ashby.

Voices of the First Responder

The events of 9/11 unfolded in surreal fashion 20 years ago. In a matter of moments, the lives of thousands were taken and millions forever changed. Many brave individuals and agencies stood up to the task of providing critical assistance in the minutes, hours, days, and months that followed. In this retrospective, we share a unique view of the events of 9/11 as told from the personal experiences of several individuals who found themselves at the forefront of emergency response.

We The People

In the months and years following 9/11, the U.S. national security landscape changed dramatically. Agencies and individuals around the country came together in unprecedented fashion to stand up the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and engage capabilities and resources such as those at PNNL and other U.S. Department of Energy laboratories around the nation. Captured in this video are the perspectives of several individuals who were part of the short- and long-term national effort to reshape our country’s approach to protecting the homeland from future security threats.

Looking Back on 9/11

Mike Kluse was Laboratory Director at PNNL and happened to be on business travel in Washington, D.C. on 9/11. When he watched the day’s events unfold, he knew his team would have a very important mission going forward. In this video, Kluse shares his experience as PNNL’s leader at the time and introduces a panel of professionals who convened to reflect on the 20 years since that pivotal day and how government, academia, and industry came together to bolster national security.

PNNL and National Security: 20 Years of Mission Impact

After 9/11, PNNL and other Department of Energy national laboratories were immediately called upon to help. The newly formed Department of Homeland Security required expertise across many areas, from radiation and explosives detection to imaging and data analytics and beyond. Visit two facilities at PNNL that have provided the Department of Homeland Security with world-class solutions in airport security scanning and radiation detection at U.S. ports of entry.

Audiogram

Kate Miller, a data scientist at PNNL, reflects on the 20th anniversary of September 11th and how risk factors have changed.