20 Years Later, SIA Remembers 9/11

9/11 New York City image

As we mark the 20th year since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, our thoughts turn first of all to the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives that day. The office workers in the World Trade Center. The U.S. Department of Defense personnel in the Pentagon. The passengers and crew on board the four aircraft, including the heroes of Flight 93 whose brave fight prevented an attack on the nation’s capital. The caring friends we miss every day.

Further, we remember and honor the sacrifices made by the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces. Their selfless service is a primary reason why the horror of that awful day has not been repeated. The security industry is fortunate to have many veterans working among us, and their skills, experience and character strengthen us all.

Finally, we reflect on other aspects of our industry, on how it has evolved during the past two decades and has become more involved in the society that it serves. New technologies have expanded the role of security devices from risk mitigation tools for a business or facility to essential components of public safety. Our industry now has the privilege of partnering with law enforcement and federal officials to defeat threats not just from criminals and organized gangs, but also from well-trained nonstate actors who view 9/11 as their own call to arms.

Looking back on one of the worst days in the nation’s history and the 20 years that followed, the trauma and devastation are all too clear. The damage cannot and should not be ignored. But we can look further and draw inspiration and hope from the ways in which countless people responded, in their efforts, both large and small, to make the community, the country and the world a better and safer place. No good came out of that day, but goodness can still be found. Let us all try to make goodness a bit easier to find.

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