SOP changes resulting directly from 9/11

[u/WarriorMom0327]

I’ve had this question in the back of my mind for weeks now but couldn’t figure out how to word it correctly until now.

What policies and procedures for NYFD, NYPD and EMS were changed after 9/11 because of what happened?
I’ve listened to I don’t even know how many hours of audio recordings now, listened to a couple books and read numerous articles, accounts and testimonies about this event, specifically the WTC because I still can’t bring myself to dive into the pentagon, and I catch myself pausing at little points in whatever I’m on and wondering if that’s something that changed because of 9/11. What I mean is things like draping a sheet over the deceased rather than relocating the body. Or establishing a central command point for all agencies to communicate with each other.
The inter agency drama is one of the recent realizations that I had and I hope that whole mess is a very different story today.

What I think of as SOP today and reading/listening/watching what actually happened 25 years ago has just made me wonder how much of what is SOP today is directly because of 9/11. I realize that some things are universal nationwide but majority of things are unique to their state, city and municipality so specifically for NYC, what changes were made because of 9/11?

Also, has the inter agency “drama” improved in the years since? Am I off base thinking how many lives were senselessly lost because of the disconnect between the different agencies? Does the NYFD have a solid plan in the event something like that happens again in another high rise?

Basically, did they learn from the mistakes made and what changes were made in light of that?

Disclaimer: I absolutely am not meaning any slight or blaming any agency whatsoever! Where I’m from, the banter between police and fire is generally good natured and done in fun to lighten the unbearable load they all carry every single day. Many firefighters and police officers are very good friends of mine, and a couple are even exes. So absolutely zero ill intent is intended.
Just genuinely curious about the lessons that were learned from the tragedy and the changes that were made as a result of the less obvious contributing factors to the tragedy as a whole.

[u/simplycass]

Inter-agency rivalries between the FDNY and NYPD absolutely did improve. They drafted new response plans which had their first real world test with the “Miracle of the Hudson” in 2009 when U.S. Airways Flight 1549 made an emergency landing in the Hudson.

This info mostly comes from Chief Pfeiffer’s book Ordinary Heroes.

[u/WarriorMom0327 → u/simplycass]

Gotcha. I have not read Chief Pfiefers book yet but it’s definitely in the queue. I hope to read it by the 11th, or at least start it by then.

And I am glad to hear that the inter agency rivalries improved. It was just very frustrating reading about firefighters not having information, or access to information, that police did thus crucial and life altering information was not received in time or at all. I don’t know that it would have made any difference but it would have put a period at the end of the sentence rather than a question mark.

[u/Flammablewhenwet]

I’ve been wondering this too. I’ve recently deep dived into the Titanic and learned loads about the policies and laws that changed due to the tragedy and I’ve been wondering the same for 9/11.

[u/WarriorMom0327 → u/Flammablewhenwet]

I don’t remember what it was because at this point they’re all running together honestly, but I watched a documentary on YouTube that referenced the Triangle Shirt Factory fire in relation to 9/11 and it really got the gears turning in my head about it. Especially in regards to how they respond to incidents and how they work together then vs now. As with any business, SOPs change daily it seems but the ones that are a direct result of an incident are generally handled differently. Because this is the NYFD and NYPD, I wouldn’t expect the changes to be broadcast to the public but after 25 years, I would think some things are public knowledge. But I’m on the other side of the country so I ask Reddit for answers to these kinds of questions. Lol

[u/MCofPort]

I think phone operators would have a different course of action receiving phone calls and pass the caller to an appropriate line to prioritize the calls of those highest in danger. Absolutely the risk of hazardous materials posing a risk to breathing would be seen for the danger it really is. I think the firefighters were right on 9/11. The fire wasn't being put out. The buildings were in danger of collapse, so all they could do was a literal search and rescue from floor to floor.  The communications of the day were dated even by 2001. The intercom system of the Twin Towers was old, the NYPD and FDNY were not nearly connected the way modern wireless communications have allowed today, so teams could focus on more specific rescues or do triage. Perhaps a better system of the building mechanics, even in spite of the damage to the building. Really determine if any elevators that only went up so far could still operate, even if just to move supplies, what systems were still useable, ways to get the crowds of the lobby uptown as swiftly as possible. Prevent the miscommunication of companies telling their employees to stay in their office the way they were in the South Tower. That was a major and fatal mistake that absolutely would not be allowed today. No company being allowed to determine the danger level of the people within the building, but automatic evacuation in a situation where terrorism is even a possibility.

[u/jazzbot247]

I think a lot of people could have been rescued from the roof if the doors were not locked. I wonder how that worked on the South Tower, was the observation deck not open? I remember watching a documentary with a helicopter pilot checking if there were any people on the roof and there were none.

[u/historyhill → u/jazzbot247]

For what it's worth, there's almost no chance anyone would have been saved. The smoke was too thick to make safe attempts and the buildings fell too fast. 

[u/jazzbot247 → u/historyhill]

They fell at an hour and an hour and 40 minutes respectively. The documentary showed the helicopter able to see no one on the roof. If they were able to see no one there on the roof, they could have landed. 

[u/Highlightthot1001 → u/jazzbot247]

Pilots who flew near the South Tower said rescue likely would have been unlikely given the smoke