Excerpts from "MY MEMORIES OF 9/11—BILL’S STORY," by Bill Strang President/CEO, from the TSSi internal newsletter, ‘Tactical Times,’ released on the 10th Anniversary of September 11, 2001:
One block from Ground Zero in New York City, as seen from inside Bill Strang’s vehicle as they were escorted to the site by NYPD Emergency Service Unit members.
"At times it is hard to believe that it has been 10 years since the day that truly changed our world as we knew it. Recently I have been asked, “Where were you on 9/11?", and I have seen the same question being asked on TV.
For those who were part of the TSSi team at that time, we had just started another day focused on the Federal fiscal year-end sales for 2001. Just nine months earlier, we had moved into our new facility. It started as just another day....when the first calls came in from family members that a plane had flown into the World Trade Center, the only way to view it was via the internet. Desk computers became a link to the story of the day. Every section of the company had at least one computer following the story as it unfolded before our eyes.
As the day went on, business came to just about a standstill; the phones seemed to go dead. It didn't seem to matter as we were drawn to what was going on minute-by-minute. Then, the second plane hit the towers, and a third hit the Pentagon. A short time later we heard about another plane crashing in a field in Pennsylvania.
Bill Strang and Jay Hensley (TSSi’s Sales Manager at the time) sort equipment onto pallets for delivery to the NYPD Emergency Services Unit.
There was a very empty feeling in my stomach. I remember feeling very helpless. My country was under attack. I had spent 24 years of my life dedicated and trained to take the war to our enemies. Now I was watching the worst day of my life unfold and I could do nothing to respond. I was the founder of a company that could supply the tools to defend our nation and protect its people and we were doing nothing but watching the world change around us. I really don't remember much more of how our day went other than concerns about how would we secure TSSi and what would we be expected to do once the calls started to come in the next few days.
I didn't sleep well that night. I remember thinking about what had happened and praying for our country and for personal direction. I wasn't thinking about a war on the horizon, I was thinking about how I was going to get TSSi involved.
When I woke on 9/12/01, I knew what I needed to do. TSSi was going to get involved even if it took going to New York myself. I arrived at the building early. I knew I had to rally the employees around my idea. I called a group meeting and told everyone we would be responding and to standby for more details.
I went to my office and started to outline a list of the tools, clothing, equipment, and supplies I thought could be used to support the rescue and recovery operations in New York. Once the list was developed, I met with a few select employees to determine which suppliers we knew could provide the equipment. I remember personally calling companies and telling them, if you can get it to TSSi, we would get it to Ground Zero. I never really knew how I was going to get there but I just knew we were going to make it happen.
I don't even know where the name came from but we called it OPERATION RESPOND and it became a major focus for everyone at TSSi, our families, and our friends."
Photo of ash and papers from offices in the towers that were scattered over a curbside garden, taken by Dawn Driscoll (Marketing Manager at that time).
OPERATION RESPOND went on to become a mission to outfit the NYPD Emergency Services Unit with vital supplies needed for the recovery efforts at Ground Zero in New York City. Supplies, sourced from TSSi, our vendor suppliers, and the community, were staged in the TSSi warehouse. On September 20, only nine days after the attacks, TSSi loaded a Roadway Trucking Company (now part of YRC Worldwide, Inc.) trailer and departed with a State Police escort and a select TSSi crew to New York City.
Bill Strang, Jay Marion and an unknown helper secured this large flag to the building on September 12, 2001.
PRESENT-DAY:
Reflecting today on the 20th Anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks, Bill Strang remarked, “It is hard to believe it was 20 years ago. But, looking back, our world has changed so much and in so many ways just because of September 11. Our country has been at war on many fronts since that day: our warfighters have met every challenge, and in far too many cases, many have paid the ultimate price to protect our nation; our first responders and police have also have met many challenges on the home front with skill and professionalism; our world changed in so many ways on September 11, and we should never forget that. Our country may be different from what it was, but we are Americans, and we should always be proud of how our nation responded and has recovered from September 11.”