Five Years Later: Remembering Sept. 11

The Business Journal contacted some local businesspeople and public officials to get their feelings on the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks. “We’re more cognizant and more prepared for huge events should something strike than we were. I think it’s given everybody an awareness that we are more vulnerable at any time, that we should have preparation. Everybody takes drills more seriously than we used to. And we’re more consciously ready in case something does happen.” David K. Burghart President, Healthcare Foundation at Glendale Adventist Medical Center “We plan to commemorate the event with our employees. Certainly Edmund’s picture is outside my office and in all of our facilities around the world. We have a very low employee turnover, so 95 to 98 percent of our employees knew him personally even from five years ago. It obviously was a huge loss at the time. But there’s always some kind of silver lining, and two years after the event the government announced there was some DNA match and remnants found on the World Trade Center site, so Edmund has a burial site in Toronto.” Noam Lotan President and CEO of MRV Communications, whose chief financial officer, Edmund Glazer, died aboard American Airlines Flight 11 after striking the north tower of the World Trade Center. “For local government, it’s been a watershed mark in terms of how we view our security, in how we approach the issue of homeland security something we didn’t give a whole lot of thought to. Now virtually every decision we make of any consequence has a homeland security dimension attached to it. Homeland security is an element in every aspect of our lives in ways it never was before. I think, psychologically, most Americans have not and should not ever get over what happened on Sept. 11, 2001.” Zev Yaroslavsky Third District Supervisor, Los Angeles County “9-11 changed the world and changed all of us. It reached down to the depths of our families and in some cases changed our families. We used to feel safe in this country and after five years, that’s what we’re still waiting for. We haven’t found a way yet to heal ourselves, but I reject the notion that we can’t feel safe again.” Roberto Barragan President, Valley Economic Development Center “In Burbank, (since 9-11) the airport has been impacted to a great extent by homeland security issues. The studios have really stepped in in terms of security measures and when you attempt to get on the lot. Those are the biggest impacts. It still seems like it just happened. I don’t think anyone will forget the momentous impact. It was a wake-up call.” Gary Olson Executive Director, Burbank Chamber of Commerce “There was a lot of concern on 9/11 about what else they were going to do to us. But we haven’t had a terrorist attack in this country in five years, since 9/11. And I think people are used to it. People are used to security checks. People are aware of their surroundings at airports and other high-risk areas. I’m not sure things have changed at all (in the Valley). I think there’s some high-profile areas that are more concerned about security. But Burbank airport seems as quick and efficient as before 9-11.” Brendan Huffman President, Valley Industry & Commerce Association On 9/11, I believe we not only think of the families of the individuals who were lost but also think of our own firefighters and police officers and public safety personnel who risk their lives every single day. It’s a day of reflection. It’s a day of remembering how lucky we are. And a day of understanding that the world has changed. Wendy Greuel Councilwoman, Los Angeles Compiled by Chris Coates, Mark R. Madler and Barbara Sheppard