9-11 Response reflection

PARKING LOT – Thirty-eight diverted planes lined the runways of Gander International Airport after terrorist attacks in the U.S., on Sept. 11, 2001, leaving the region to aid about 6,700 stranded passengers. Photo courtesy of 103 Search and Rescue 1 height:288px;width:432px GOODBYE ALL — Some of the workers and volunteers gathered to say goodbye to the crew of U.S. Airways flight 8919 bound for Philadelphia. It was the final plane of the 38 grounded at Gander International Airport as a result of the terrorist attacks in the United States to leave. Beacon file photo 2 height:288px;width:432px FILL UP – Stranded passengers at the College of the North Atlantic had plenty of food to choose from during their temporary stay. Beacon file photo 3 height:288px;width:432px SETTLE IN – Ayala Gazit and her two sons, Tomer and Oren, make their beds on the pews of the Salvation Army Church in Gander. Beacon file photo 4 height:288px;width:432px BED TO BED – Cots set up at St. Paul’s Intermediate School in Gander. Beacon file photo 5 height:288px;width:432px

INFORMATION – Passengers get updated on what’s happening outside the Appleton town hall. Submitted photo 6 height:288px;width:432px FRIENDLY SERVICE – Passengers picking up food at the Appleton Town hall. Submitted photo 7 height:288px;width:432px DISTRESS – Many passengers didn't realize the full impact of the tragedy in the U.S. until they got to shelters in Gander and saw the images on television. Obviously, many were overwhelmed. Beacon file photo 8 height:288px;width:432px DISBELIEF – For a lot of those diverted to Gander it was hard to believe what was happening in their home country. Beacon file photo 9 height:288px;width:432px FOOD FOR THOUGHT – Volunteers all around Gander and surrounding communities did what they could to feed the many passengers who inhabited the area. At the Salvation Army Church, Linda Dooley and Gwen Patten stacked cans of soup that been donated. Beacon file photo 10 height:288px;width:432px

ON GUARD – Security guard Lucy Wall controls the tarmac entrance to Gander International Airport. Beacon file photo 11 height:288px;width:432px CHECK PLEASE – Passengers had to go through extensive security checks once getting off their grounded planes at Gander International Airport. Beacon file photo 12 height:288px;width:432px REACHING OUT – Extra telephones were put into service by Newtel so that stranded passengers could contact relatives around the world. Beacon file photo 13 height:288px;width:432px HOME AWAY FROM HOME – It may not be home, but stranded passenger Malcolm Hogg of New England still experienced luxury. He was spotted sheltering himself from the sun in his Gander Palace Sept. 12, which he had set up on the lawn of the College of the North Atlantic. Beacon file photo 14 height:288px;width:432px STUNNED – Clay and Debbie Etheridge of Texas were stunned when they first saw the pictures of the horrific crash into the twin towers. Beacon file photo 15 height:288px;width:432px

TRIP DELAYED – Jason Saaristo, his pregnant wife and two children, were on their way from Frankfort to Dallas when they were diverted to Gander. Beacon file photo 16 height:288px;width:432px HEADING TO DALLAS – Bengt, Ellinor and Carl Go'ransson of Sweden were on their way to Dallas when the plane they were on was diverted to Gander. Beacon file photo 17 height:288px;width:432px COUNTING – Gander resident Philip March and Sally Breer of New York count the money that passengers staying at the College of the North Atlantic in Gander donated to the campus. Beacon file photo 18 height:288px;width:432px SOUP SERVERS – Wanda Simms and Lorraine Dally were among the volunteers who offered their time to serve food to the many passengers who stayed at the local campus of the College of the North Atlantic. Beacon file photo 19 height:288px;width:432px CARE PACKAGES – Many volunteers, such as Clarice Sheppard who lent a helping hand at the Salvation Army in Gander, placed products like razors, soap and other toiletries in shopping bags to hand out to passengers. Beacon file photo 20 height:288px;width:432px

COMFY? – Parry and Julie Sloane of Manchester, England, were among those passengers who slept on cots at St. Paul's Intermediate School in Gander. Beacon file photo 21 height:288px;width:432px TIDYING UP – For many local volunteers, the job of dealing with an influx of international passengers was far from over when all the planes left. The cleaning and sorting of blankets, pillows and clothing was one of the many duties left to helpers such as Kay Layte who participated in the organization of thousands of pounds of clothing at the Salvation Army Citadel in Gander. Beacon file photo 22 height:288px;width:432px CRISIS CLEANUP – Baxter Sampson was busy with cleanup at Gander Collegiate following the departure of the influx of stranded airline passengers. Beacon file photo 23 height:288px;width:432px STAND BY – Ambulances from James Paton memorial Hospital were on stand-by at the airport just in case there was a medical emergency. Beacon file photo 24 height:288px;width:432px WHATEVER WE CAN – Bus drivers with the Lewisporte/Gander District School Board came off the picket line to assist in the transport of passengers from the airport to various locations throughout central Newfoundland. Beacon file photo 25 height:288px;width:432px

MORE THAN PEOPLE – It was just people that had to be taken off the planes diverted to Gander. 26 height:288px;width:432px CHECKING THINGS OUT – Emergency personnel were on hand to provide assistance to passengers on the planes diverted to Gander. Beacon file photo 27 height:288px;width:432px MAKING BEDS – Volunteers helped prepare beds for the passengers that stayed at Gander Collegiate. Beacon file photo 28 height:288px;width:432px STAY HELATHY – While food and accommodations were the main focus of providing for the stranded passengers, some needed to be taken care in terms of medication. Beacon file photo 29 height:288px;width:432px TIME TO RELAX – A pick-up soccer game outside Gander Academy helped some stranded passengers, especially the children, take their mind off what was actually happening. Transcontinental Media file photo 30 height:288px;width:432px

TAKING IT EASY – from left, Larry Kunze, Anthony Kunze, Kim Tyrr and Robert Kunze play cards to pass the time while lying on their sleeping bags in a classroom at Gander Academy. The four brothers and their niece were four of 13 family members who had vacationed in London, England, and had been returning home to the United States when the terrorist attacks forced their plane to divert to Gander. Transcontinental Media file photo 31 height:288px;width:432px TOUCHDOWN – One of the 39 planes that were diverted to Gander International Airport because of terrorist attacks in the United States. 32 height:288px;width:432px BED TIME – Volunteers Katie Soper and Joan Slaney unpack some of the donated bedding dropped off to Gander Academy to help make stranded airline passengers comfortable. Beacon file photo 33 height:288px;width:432px STANDING GUARD – RCMP officers were on the tarmac standing guard of the planes diverted to Gander. Beacon file photo 34 height:288px;width:432px SOAP STOP – George Williams helped distribute essentials before the arrival of displaced travellers at a school gym. Beacon file photo 35 height:288px;width:432px

PLANES EVERYWHERE – Some of the 39 planes diverted to Gander International Airport. Beacon file photo 36 height:288px;width:432px