We broadcast live from the firehouse to reflect on September 11 through the personal accounts of local community members and first responders who lived through the tragedy. Our guest, retired educator and 17-year volunteer firefighter Steve Downs, recounts his experience during his very first week of teaching fifth grade at Newtown Elementary School in Newtown, Pennsylvania. He details the quiet tension inside the school building as news broke of the attack on the World Trade Center, the steps taken to keep ten-year-old students calm, and how school protocols evolved in the aftermath to keep children protected.
We examine how local communities across Bucks County pulled together amidst immense personal loss and grief. Steve explains how many parents in the area commuted to New York City for work, creating an agonizing atmosphere as administrators handled parent arrivals and secured the facility without causing widespread panic. We discuss how school communications operated in an era preceding instant smartphone alerts, relying heavily on main office coordination to maintain safety throughout the afternoon.
We explore what drives individuals to step up and serve their local fire departments in response to national crisis. Inspired by the ultimate sacrifice of 343 fallen firefighters on September 11 and encouraged by his son, Steve joined the volunteer fire service in 2009. We talk about the deep bond shared among firefighters from all backgrounds, the rising generation of young leaders inside local stations, and why remembering the selflessness displayed on September 11 remains vital today.
Sep 11, 2026
