Amateur Radio Op Records Attack Calls

By KIM CURTIS Associated Press Writer

October 3, 2001, 3:25 PM EDT

SAUSALITO, Calif. -- Like many on the West Coast, amateur radio operator Robert Sanford was roused from bed around 6 a.m. on Sept. 11.

"My friend, Mike, called me. He said, `You gotta get up. The World Trade Center's been hit by a plane,"' recalled Sanford, a New York City native.

The 44-year-old radio enthusiast immediately went to his den, or "command center" as he calls it, and turned on his computer and television. Another East Coast friend used the Internet to feed Sanford radio transmissions between police and fire officials and dispatchers.

Sanford started listening -- and then he started recording, capturing more than two hours of wrenching exchanges.

Just after the first tower collapsed, a fire dispatcher responded to a voice calling for help.

"I'm beneath the north pedestrian bridge," the voice said. "I don't have much air. There was a building collapse. I was on the street. I don't have much air. Please send somebody."

"Listen to me," the dispatcher responded. "You need to calm down and relax. We do have somebody on the way over to you. Get off the air. Remain calm."

In those first hours after the towers collapsed, the dispatcher called for a unit and often got only silence in return.

After the second tower collapsed, a police dispatcher tracked perhaps a dozen reports of officers trapped. In an emotional exchange, he tried to pinpoint the location of a seriously injured officer who could barely speak.

"Try to talk into your radio," the dispatcher said. "What was your last location? What was your last location? Talk to us."

"Help me," was all the trapped officer could utter.

Sanford was stunned by what he heard.

"These guys are the best of the best. They can handle anything that's thrown at them, but this was too much even for them," Sanford said. "The bedlam on the radio -- everyone was kind of losing it."

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On the Net:

Sanford's Web site: http://www.bayscan1.50megs.com Copyright © 2001, The Associated Press

-- Anonymous, October 03, 2001

Answers

If you want to listen to the tapes, go to link above.

-- Anonymous, October 04, 2001