Twenty years have passed, and yet the the surprise, anguish, horror, and disbelief of Tuesday, September 11, 2001 is forever imprinted in our minds and hearts. We united as a country and held each other close. As call centers were overwhelmed and cell services were drowning in volume, we desperately reserved hope for loved ones, team members, neighbors, and those we've never met. We lit candles, wrote songs and poems, and stood under an eerily engine-free sky.
First responders ran toward danger, many giving all. Twenty years later, their children have continued the tradition of service and sacrifice. [Two decades later, more children of 9/11 victims are joining the FDNY than ever before. - New York Daily News]
Memorials and museums have risen with artifacts and stories of heroism. Most recently, the National Law Enforcement Museum re-opened with their Post - 9/11 Exhibit, showcasing 20+ artifacts that include airplane fragments from Flight 93, a steel beam from the World Trade Center, a limestone block from the damaged section of the Pentagon and part of the damaged food cart from Flight 93 when passenger Todd Beamer famously said, “Are you ready? OK. Let's roll.”
Above all, we promised to #NeverForget.
To honor the 20th Anniversary of 9/11, we asked Bio-One owners across the country to reflect on that fateful day. Below are their stories.
I am a retired FDNY fireman. I was assigned to Squad 41 in the South Bronx. We lost everyone, all six, working that insane day. Me and the rest of the crew were down at the WTC site by 12:30 on 9/11. I worked down at the site for over 56 hours before we broke up into sections and teams. Long story short I was basically working at the WTC site for the next nine months. It seems like yesterday and way to many stories and close calls and everything to say in a post.
- Owen McGovern, Bio-One owner in Eugene, Oregon
On September 11, 2001 I was in Tampa Florida at a training for work. Was in a conference room with glass walls and there was a tv on outside the room that I can see and saw the broadcast of the 2nd plane hitting. Also took us 4 days to get back to Connecticut because all flights were cancelled.
This year we are sponsoring the Southern Arizona Law Enforcement Foundation golf tournament on Sept 11 2021.
- David Scott, Bio-One owner in Tuscon, Arizona
I was in Lakewood, Ca just getting up and getting ready to go to school. My aunt worked in tower 2 so we were all franticly trying to call her. By the grace of God, she was not at work. She was at an OB appointment when it happened.
This year, we will be participating in a stair climb which is the number of stairs in the twin towers as well as participate in a golf tournament to raise money and awareness.
- Rebecca Wallace, Bio-One owner in Flagstaff, Arizona
I was in between classes in high school in NY, laughing with friends and not a care in the world. Little did I know the ever lasting effects this tragic event would’ve had on my life. Teachers turned on the news in class. Just as the second plane was hitting. Juan and I were in school (yes we went to HS together lol). And I knew then he was in it and would sacrifice to fight back for our country. Even 20 years later, feels like yesterday. He joined the Marine Corps. We lost many friends, even still having to say goodbye to this day. All from the events of that one very sad day.
It’s a very somber day for me. No events. Just spending time with my kids and Juan. There is the 2021 Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk in New York City Sunday, September 26, 2021, that I would love to do participate in. But, to be honest, going into the city scares me.
Very emotional day for all Americans. Hits my NY heart extra hard.
- Nicole Morales, Bio-One owner in the Tri-State area (New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania)
I was at home in Denver with our 2 young sons, while Gregg Chiasson was in Manhattan on business. He had a flight later that day, which of course did not happen. We were unable to connect with each other for hours that day. This was frightening to me. Gregg's experience was live there in Manhattan. I'm so thankful that he was safe and made it home eventually.
- Cheryl Chaisson, Bio-One owner in Denver, Colorado
I was on my way to Tulare Western HS driving in my 1987 Dodge Ram50 truck to work. I remember hearing about it on the radio and I was in disbelief. Needless to say, I had to get ready to teach 160 HS students math and chemistry throughout the day. I don’t know if I made the right choice, but I decided to treat it like a regular day and went about teaching. As a young 29 year old, the gravity of the situation didn’t hit me like most. Other than saying a few prayers throughout the day, I spent the day teaching the best I could and gave student an opportunity to ask questions if it came up.
- Armand Amoranto, Bio-One owner in Oceanside, California
I was in Moscow Russia attending my first year of college. First time away from home. We had a math lecture and all of a sudden they turn on TV and we all stared in disbelief. We don’t know what is going on, we all thought it’s the beginning of world war 3. There were about 300 people in a room and we all stood up. Scary time. They sent us all home because no one including professors can concentrate but being scared on what’s next.
- Viktoriya Gonzales, Bio-One owner in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Bio-One answers the call to help our community and remediate a variety of scenes. From hoarding, crime scene cleaning, or simply giving back, we'd like to bring you into the Bio-One world by sharing stories of the unique and important work we do.
Here is this week's Weekly Wrap-Up.
Arizona Law Enforcement Grant - Voting Ends August 15
Voting for the 2021 Bio-One AZ Law Enforcement Grant is almost over. Don't miss your chance to vote for an AZ law enforcement agency! First place receives a $5,000 grant from Bio-One and second place will receive a complimentary brats and burgers catered BBQ.
Last year, congratulations went to the Snowflake Taylor Police Department. The $5,000 allowed them to purchase 15 fully stocked Modular Trauma & Bleeding First Aid Responder Kits, enough to equip every patrol vehicle!
Thank you to the AZ Bio-One offices for making this possible!
National Law Enforcement Museum Post - 9/11 Exhibit
Bio-One, Inc. is a sponsor of the newest exhibit at the National Law Enforcement Museum, Post - 9/11: The Evolution of American Law Enforcement.
As described on LawEnforcementMuseum.org:
Since 9/11 law enforcement has come together – in partnership with other agencies, the private sector, and the general public – to help make us all safer. In response to the threats raised by 9/11, law enforcement has seen changes in the areas of intelligence collection and analysis, interagency partnerships and information sharing, technology and innovation, training and preparation, and community engagement.
The National Law Enforcement Museum will present a new exhibition to mark the 20th anniversary of 9/11 and honor the officers who rose to the challenge that day. This will be the first exhibition to focus on the significant changes to U.S. law enforcement that occurred in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.
The exhibit opens August 27, 2021 and tickets are available for purchase.
To learn more about the exhibit, register for the August 19 virtual conversation The Post-9/11 Story: Questions, Reflections, and a Museum Exhibit. This program will pull back the curtain on the behind-the-scenes conversations that go into crafting an exhibit about the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and life since. Learn more and register here!
What to Ask Before Hiring a Crime Scene Cleaner
New blog post! Today, there are hundreds of companies that advertise crime and trauma scene cleaning, and a simple Google search may prove overwhelming when you're experiencing one of the most traumatic moments in your life.
To help, we've listed pre-qualifying questions to ask before choosing a crime and trauma scene company. Here's a link to our recent blog post!
Bio-One answers the call to help our community and remediate a variety of scenes. From hoarding, crime scene cleaning, or simply giving back, we'd like to bring you into the Bio-One world by sharing stories of the unique and important work we do.
Here is this week's Weekly Wrap-Up.
NATIONAL NIGHT OUT
On August 3, Bio-One teams participated in their local National Night Out, an annual crime prevention event and community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships.
Check out these National Night Out Facebook posts from Bio-One teams in Marion County and Des Moines!
U.S. POLICE AND FIRE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Bio-One was the Presenting Sponsor of the 2021 U.S. Police and Fire Championships and we were thrilled to meet first responders all over the U.S. To see the action, scroll through our Bio-One Inc Instagram Highlights.
Here's a sneak peek!
IN THE NEWS
In case you missed it, Bio-One has been in the news! Here's the latest from Franchise Times and The Denver Gazette.
Bio-One teams across the U.S. answer calls to help their communities and remediate a variety of scenes. In our new blog series, we'd like to bring you into the Bio-One world by sharing stories of the unique and important work we do for local communities.
Here is Week 5 of our Bio-One Weekly Wrap-Up.
Chocolate Spill Makes for a Sweet Cleanup
In Scranton on March 25, Juan and Nicole Morales received a call for a "chocolate" cleanup. Assuming this was code for a sewage back-up, they rushed to scene to find a different situation entirely. Approximately 100 gallons of milk chocolate had spilled, covering asphalt outside a local business.
This is certainly the sweetest smelling job a Bio-One office has ever taken, but Nicole clarified, "That smell was nice for the first few minutes but at the end I felt sick. Good thing we had an awesome team that pushed through and got this done!"
After scraping the chocolate with a forklift and pressure washing the area, the Bio-One team received a five-star review. Well done!
Behind the Scenes with Citizen's Academy
Many Bio-One owners sign up for their local Citizen's Police Academy to acquaint themselves with the activities of their local police department. This week, Bio-One owner, Ginger Akemon, in Jacksonville, FL earned her Citizen's Police Academy certificate from the Clay County Sheriff's Office.
"Definitely a learning process. Each County has their own, my goal is to go to each county's classes. This was 10 weeks long and over an hour drive each way, but well worth it, " said Ginger.
Hoarding Transformation in Long Beach
In Long Beach, the Bio-One team has been working hard on several hoarding projects. These before and after pictures show the detail and expertise our teams bring to each job.
