September 11 recollections highlight security shifts and immediate chaos

Personal accounts from the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks highlight the immediate chaos and the evolving understanding of security threats in the United States.

Former Representative John Tierney recalled the moment the second plane struck the Twin Towers while he was in the Capitol, noting the immediate realization that the event was a planned attack. During the crisis, Capitol security ordered offices to evacuate due to fears the Capitol itself might be targeted. Communication was severely limited as staff relied on beepers and struggled with clogged telephone lines.

Paul Leventhal, former president of the Nuclear Control Institute, described the shift in security perspectives following the attacks. While nuclear security had previously focused on vehicle bombs or land assaults, the hijacking of aircraft presented a new, unforeseen threat scenario. Leventhal had advocated for stronger security requirements at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) long before the attacks, urging immediate emergency measures to protect nuclear plants from terrorist sabotage.