A Case Study of the Government Response to the Destruction of the World Trade Center

The destruction of the World Trade Center on September 11, 200 " resulted in a rapid response by government to evacuate the area and, in subsequent days, to bring the city back to a sem-blance of normalcy. This article provides a case study of government action in New York City during and after the World Trade Center catastrophe. What is most striking is the skill and intensity of government's response to the emergency and the hard work, dedication, and bravery of New York City's government officials. This article presents government and public service at its finest, under some of the most difficult conditions one can imagine. Learning from the Unthinkable This article presents a chronology of events subsequent to the attack on the World Trade Center and analyzes the role of leadership and standard operating procedures in crisis management. It tells the story of the mayor and his team of emergency response advisors and staff. We de-scribe and assess the role of local elected officials in reas-suring the city's residents, boosting morale, and prevent-ing disorder after the catastrophe. We also provide profiles of the actions of local public servants. One purpose of this article is to present a positive story of public service and the centrality and importance of govern-ment leadership in emergency response. The role of private citizens, private firms, and volunteers will be discussed. The article also recounts the fiscal impact of the event on New York City's government and the impact of this catastrophe on resource allocation for government emergency response. Finally, we analyze the lessons learned in the response ac-tion and conclude with steps to be repeated and avoided in future emergency response actions