HEBRON, Ky. — Sept. 11, 2001 is a day people around the country remember, where nearly 3,000 first responders and civilians lost their lives. Less than two months later is when traveling in airplanes would change forever with TSA.
What You Need To Know
- CVG Airport will be displaying names of 9/11 victims on a memorial flag inside its lobby
- Travelers and TSA agents recounted where they were on that fateful day
- Tom Huesman was traveling to Florida on 9/11 this year
- Ray Williams is a Federal Security Director for TSA, which was formally established in November 2001
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) bustles with people ready to travel daily. On Saturday, both travelers and airport personnel were reminded of the tragic events that took place on 9/11: the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon 20 years ago.
“I just knew it was a terrorist attack, at the time I was not even 60 years old yet. I had been around enough to know there were bad people in the world and they finally descended on us,” said Tom Huesman.
On Saturday, Huesman was traveling on a flight his wife booked for their trip to Florida, exactly 20 years after 3,000 people lost their lives. Huesman lives in Dayton, Ohio and knew instantly what happened would affect the country forever.
“The dentist had a TV on for the patients, and I looked up and saw this plane fly into the tower. I said oh my God, walked into another waiting room and watched the entire thing unfold in front of my eyes,” said Huesman.
So many people around the country were going about their day regularly – some had work and some had appointments they needed to attend. TSA Federal Security Director Ray Williams had an appointment that day.
“Vehicles were going the opposite direction on the road I was on which actually led to the Pentagon. So, I was on the cell phone trying to figure out what was going on. Going into the appointment, I heard about New York but at the time it was just the one, by the time I got out it was the Pentagon as well,” he said.
Williams was living in Virginia at the time and had a calling to leave his private sector job on Capitol Hill. In doing so, he was a part of the November 2001 rollout for revamped security known as TSA in all airports across the country.
“I worked well together to make sure that if there is something we need to know we can share that information quickly and all be prepared. I have seen over the 20 years that growth, and it is solidifying into a very well working relationship and system,” said Williams.
People like Williams make it possible for people like Huesman to feel safe traveling to their destination, even on the 20th anniversary of 9/11.
“I feel very secure here, safe, do not really worry about it. I saw it 20 years ago and watched it happen, but now it is 20 years later and we are still flying so I appreciate that,” said Huesman.
CVG will be displaying a flag with the names of victims who lost their life in the lobby of the airport.