From: CBO CountyBoard

Sent: Saturday, September 22

Subject: September 11, 2001

Arlington County Civic Federation

Dear Friend:

On behalf of the County Board, we share in the mourning of the community for the loss of life during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The Board recognizes that this tragic, senseless act has deeply impacted all of us here in Arlington and across the Nation.

October 7th will be Arlington's Day of Remembrance and Appreciation. At 6:00 p.m., we will hold a community-wide gathering at the Washington-Lee High School stadium to acknowledge those lost and unaccounted for and to express appreciation to all those individuals and organizations that were part of our community's response.

We hope you and the members of your group, as well as your family and friends, will attend in the spirit of unity, tolerance, respect, and patriotism. This will be a memorable and important evening that you will not want to miss. If you have any questions about the event, please check the County website at www.co.arlington.va.us or contact the County Board Office at 703-228-3130. We would be grateful if you would circulate this information to the widest audience possible for community-wide participation.

I also want to share with you some information about the County's substantial efforts in response to the Pentagon attack.

Our Emergency Operations Center was mobilized ten minutes after the plane struck the Pentagon. The Arlington County Fire Department (ACFD), which has primary responsibility for the Pentagon, were among the first teams to arrive at the crash scene. Over 270 Arlington firefighters/EMS personnel began fighting the fire, rescuing victims trapped inside the building, and treating and transporting the injured.

Under the leadership and direction of the ACFD, response teams from throughout the Washington region, the FBI and other federal partners came together in an extraordinary display of cooperation. The ACFD was in charge of all fire, rescue, and recovery operations at the site, and retained incident command until September 21 --when responsibility transitioned to the FBI. The Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) served to secure the site perimeter, assist with traffic control, and continue to assist the FBI with evidence collection. Arlington was also responsible for ensuring the health and safety of personnel on site; procuring supplies for field operations; and coordinating the work of numerous local, state, and federal agencies involved with the operations.

We should all be proud of the outstanding efforts of our public safety personnel. Fortunately, no Arlington County employees have died or been seriously injured. Meanwhile, Arlington government remained opened at all times, and full capability for emergency response to the community continues with full staffing at all stations across the County. Additionally, through this time, the needs of our youth and families received outstanding attention from our Arlington Public Schools.

The County is also extremely grateful to the Urban Search and Rescue Teams from Fairfax County; Virginia Beach; Montgomery County, the Military District of Washington, Memphis, Tennessee, and Albuquerque, New Mexico -- whose training, expertise, and commitment have been critical to rescue efforts. Teams from the Fort Myer Military Base, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, and the Defense Protective Service along with the City of Alexandria, Washington, D.C., Prince George's County, Prince William County, Loudoun County and the City of Falls Church are to be commended for their role in this operation.

The Declaration of a local State of Emergency remains in effect in Arlington. Ongoing and updated information on our response to the Pentagon attack as well as services available to the public can be found online at the County's website at www.co.arlington.va.us, via Cable-TV Channel 31, or the County's Information desk at 703-228-3000. Trained mental health professionals are also available at 703-228-5160 to help in the process of healing.

And finally, we commend the broader Arlington community for responding with generosity and compassion. The Red Cross and Salvation Army stepped up to the task, as did all our community, in reaching out to one another, including those of the Muslim faith. We continued our tradition of being a welcoming and inclusive community.

It is a time to feel pride in Arlington&and the selfless efforts of Arlingtonians. We hope to see you on October 7th.

Sincerely,

Jay Fisette
Chairman

This page was last revised on: December 28, 2003.