Red Cross Responds to World Trade Center, Pentagon and Pittsburgh Plane Crashes

Security agents atop buildings near the White House in Washington DC stand ready for any possible attacks.

September 11, 2001 —  Two aircraft collided into the upper floors of the World Trade Center towers Tuesday morning (Sept. 11), and black smoke poured out of two gaping holes in the buildings. Both towers collapsed a short while after the explosions.

There was no immediate word on injuries or fatalities in the World Trade Center disasters, which happened around 9 a.m. Shortly thereafter, a plane reportedly collided into the Pentagon in Arlington, Va.

Yet another plane crashed outside Pittsburgh, about an hour after the Pentagon crash. It is still unclear if this crash is related to the others.

The Federal Aviation Administration has reportedly shut down all airports in the nation.

CNN reported that the FBI is investing reports that the planes were hijacked. One of the planes was reportedly an American Airlines 767.

The American Red Cross has immediately responded to the disasters. Details are sketchy as to what has actually occurred, but the Red Cross has activated its Aviation Incident Response (AIR) Team to respond in New York City, and trained disaster workers from the American Red Cross of Greater New York and the National Capitol Chapter in Washington, D.C. are providing relief in the affected areas.

"The American Red Cross is doing everything we can to ensure the immediate availability of the safest possible blood," said Dr. Bernadine Healy, president and CEO of the American Red Cross. "We are also dispatching hundreds of trained disaster workers and mental health counselors to New York, Washington D.C. and elsewhere," she added.

80,000 blood donations in the American Red Cross blood inventory are ready to ship to affected areas and will ensure that patients' lives are saved. Donors who wish to give blood in the coming days to replenish the nation's blood supply are encouraged to call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE to make an appointment.

In the wake of these traumatic events lies a wide path of catastrophic physical and psychological destruction in which countless victims will require assistance. In addition to meeting the physical needs of the affected regions, the American Red Cross will be providing crisis mental health counseling.

The Red Cross AIR Team has been activated and is responding in New York City and Boston, where one of the flights that struck the World Trade Center originated. Made up of leadership teams from all Red Cross disaster relief functions, the AIR Team responds when activated through the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act of 1996. This act charged the National Transportation Safety Board with designating an organization to provide for the emotional needs of victims, family members and rescue workers. NTSB selected the American Red Cross because of our nationally recognized mental health counseling program.

A representative from the Keystone Chapter in Johnston, Pa., (the chapter closest to the plane crash outside Pittsburgh), said that a disaster action team has been mobilized. Additionally, meals are being prepared to be distributed to relief workers and victims at the scene.