Randall Stewart
Captain, Rockdale Fire Department
"First, I felt total disgust. Then, I felt helpless. What distinguishes firemen is that we're here to rescue complete strangers. There's not a citizen in the county that I wouldn't lay my life down for if need be. I was so proud of the NYC firefighters that paid the ultimate sacrifice."

Oliver Tucker
Rockdale Fire Department
"I was in shock. I couldn't believe what had happened. It definitely had an effect on my decision to become a firefighter."

David Irwin
Judge
"We were about to go into court when we heard the news. As a country, there was a loss of innocence and external numbing... I was profoundly sad at the loss of life. There was also rage that people thought so little of us."

Cedric Scott
Chief, Rockdale County Fire Department
"I was in Macon; I was the training chief for the Macon Fire Department. Once a week, we had a staff meeting and I was preparing for a staff meeting. After we'd all gathered in front of the TV, another plane hit. One of the chiefs said, ‘This is not a mistake. They're trying to do this.' "