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D.C. Fire Department Left Out of Capitol Hill Airplane Incident
Updated: 05-13-2005 09:49:49 AM
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Firehouse.Com News
As an airplane with unknown intentions flew toward the U.S. Capitol and White House Wednesday, many of the cities' first responders were left to guess what was going on as they watched office workers running for their lives.
First responders in Washington, D.C. only found out that an airplane had violated restricted air space around the Capitol and White House, potentially posing a threat to the city, from local media or phone calls from friends.
The Associated Press reported that D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams said city officials weren't told about the threat until the all-clear was sounded, more than 10 minutes after the White House and Capitol were evacuated. A city government building that houses the mayoral and District of Columbia Council offices, located two blocks from the White House, was not evacuated according to AP.
A D.C. firefighter told Firehouse.Com News that firefighters knew nothing about the potential terrorist attack as they rode their truck down city streets while watching F-16 jets flying overhead. On a routine maintenance trip, the jets could be seen out of the windows of their truck. It was not until they returned to the station that they found out by watching television what was going on. The fire station never received any sort of alert.
District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department PIO Specialist Alan Etter said he was at work when the noise of jet engines rocked his office. He called Special Operations Chief Larry Schultz, and then Assistant Fire Chief for Operations James Martin, neither of whom knew of anything special happening. While watching CNN five minutes later, he saw the evacuations going on and again contacted Chief Martin who had just heard of the incident on WTOP Radio.
Clicky
Updated: 05-13-2005 09:49:49 AM
E-MAIL THIS STORY PRINT THIS STORY
Firehouse.Com News
As an airplane with unknown intentions flew toward the U.S. Capitol and White House Wednesday, many of the cities' first responders were left to guess what was going on as they watched office workers running for their lives.
First responders in Washington, D.C. only found out that an airplane had violated restricted air space around the Capitol and White House, potentially posing a threat to the city, from local media or phone calls from friends.
The Associated Press reported that D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams said city officials weren't told about the threat until the all-clear was sounded, more than 10 minutes after the White House and Capitol were evacuated. A city government building that houses the mayoral and District of Columbia Council offices, located two blocks from the White House, was not evacuated according to AP.
A D.C. firefighter told Firehouse.Com News that firefighters knew nothing about the potential terrorist attack as they rode their truck down city streets while watching F-16 jets flying overhead. On a routine maintenance trip, the jets could be seen out of the windows of their truck. It was not until they returned to the station that they found out by watching television what was going on. The fire station never received any sort of alert.
District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department PIO Specialist Alan Etter said he was at work when the noise of jet engines rocked his office. He called Special Operations Chief Larry Schultz, and then Assistant Fire Chief for Operations James Martin, neither of whom knew of anything special happening. While watching CNN five minutes later, he saw the evacuations going on and again contacted Chief Martin who had just heard of the incident on WTOP Radio.
Clicky
