# Ask a (Female) 9-11 WTC Initial Responder **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 9, 2012, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-a-female-9-11-wtc-initial-responder/634243 "2012-09-09T22:20:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cynyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@cynyc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynyc)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2012, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-a-female-9-11-wtc-initial-responder/634243/1 "2012-09-09T22:20:07Z")
Maybe this will get me through the next few days. Simple questions please. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2012, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-a-female-9-11-wtc-initial-responder/634243/2 "2012-09-09T22:34:26Z")
Were you on the scene when the second plane crashed? I’ve got lots of questions, but I’m going to take baby steps here. ---
**Author:** ![cynyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@cynyc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynyc)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2012, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-a-female-9-11-wtc-initial-responder/634243/3 "2012-09-09T23:00:39Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Were you on the scene when the second plane crashed? > > I’ve got lots of questions, but I’m going to take baby steps here. No. I had to hitch-hike from uptown. Nobody was picking me up then a bunch of people formed a line across Lexington Ave to help me get a ride downtown. Everything was at a standstill and there was no public trans as far as I knew. Baby questions are good. This is very hard. ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2012, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-a-female-9-11-wtc-initial-responder/634243/4 "2012-09-09T23:03:40Z")
FDNY? NYPD? or some other response agency? ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2012, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-a-female-9-11-wtc-initial-responder/634243/5 "2012-09-09T23:08:24Z")
Did the women responders have trouble finding the necessary sanitary facilities? (I know that is always an issue in NYC, and we don’t have the same simple, if not quite sanitary, options as men.) ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2012, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-a-female-9-11-wtc-initial-responder/634243/6 "2012-09-09T23:09:20Z")
What, if anything, can a non-initial responder say or do for someone who was there? My SO is having a rough week, too. I can’t tell him I understand, because I don’t. I can’t tell him I can imagine what he’s feeling, because I can’t. It sucks to see him hurt and shutting down, though. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2012, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-a-female-9-11-wtc-initial-responder/634243/7 "2012-09-09T23:37:53Z")
I don’t want to add to the questions until you’ve had a chance to respond, so I’ll simply say, at the risk of sounding facile or trite, _thank you_. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2012, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-a-female-9-11-wtc-initial-responder/634243/8 "2012-09-09T23:42:08Z")
Do you have any long term physical health problems due to the air contaminants released in the buildings’ collapse? ---
**Author:** ![ecoaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/85e7bf/32.png) [@ecoaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ecoaster)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2012, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-a-female-9-11-wtc-initial-responder/634243/9 "2012-09-09T23:51:57Z")
1. I don’t know if this is a simple question or not, but how did/didn’t 9-11 change your outlook on life? 2. Are you proud of what you did on that day? Do you wish you had done anything differently? ---
**Author:** ![cynyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@cynyc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynyc)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2012, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-a-female-9-11-wtc-initial-responder/634243/10 "2012-09-09T23:54:46Z")
> [@j666](#): > > Did the women responders have trouble finding the necessary sanitary facilities? > (I know that is always an issue in NYC, and we don’t have the same simple, if not quite sanitary, options as men.) I didn’t have my period at the time if that’s what you mean. As far as bathrooms being co-ed or not–I don’t know. It certainly wasn’t on my mind. I wouldn’t have cared. Interesting question tho’. Never thought about it. ---
**Author:** ![cynyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@cynyc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynyc)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2012, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-a-female-9-11-wtc-initial-responder/634243/11 "2012-09-09T23:59:26Z")
PM me. In general, a thank you would be nice. To date I’ve had 5 thank yous. (Don’t go there in this thread please.) A woman upstairs lost her son. If she said thank you it would’ve meant a lot to me. As far as your SO? Maybe just ask what would be helpful? > [@WhyNot](#): > > What, if anything, can a non-initial responder say or do for someone who was there? > > My SO is having a rough week, too. I can’t tell him I understand, because I don’t. I can’t tell him I can imagine what he’s feeling, because I can’t. It sucks to see him hurt and shutting down, though. ---
**Author:** ![cynyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@cynyc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynyc)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-a-female-9-11-wtc-initial-responder/634243/12 "2012-09-10T00:00:50Z")
Yes. > [@Mosier](#): > > Do you have any long term physical health problems due to the air contaminants released in the buildings’ collapse? ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-a-female-9-11-wtc-initial-responder/634243/13 "2012-09-10T00:04:50Z")
Did you move away? ---
**Author:** ![cynyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@cynyc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynyc)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-a-female-9-11-wtc-initial-responder/634243/14 "2012-09-10T00:07:56Z")
> [@ecoaster](#): > > 1. I don’t know if this is a simple question or not, but how did/didn’t 9-11 change your outlook on life? > > 2. Are you proud of what you did on that day? Do you wish you had done anything differently? I learned that if you were a woman you weren’t there. I’m not a “feminist” so it took me years to figure that out through deductive reasoning. And not only were you not there… And that’s as dreary as I am willing to go at the moment. I hope this is helping somebody. ---
**Author:** ![cynyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@cynyc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynyc)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-a-female-9-11-wtc-initial-responder/634243/15 "2012-09-10T00:10:49Z")
> [@Nawth\_Chucka](#): > > Did you move away? I dream of it every day. But I lost everything as well. And got sick. I had just begun light construction and design plans for my property in GA. We’re trapped here in NYC. It wasn’t the plan. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-a-female-9-11-wtc-initial-responder/634243/16 "2012-09-10T01:47:56Z")
> [@cynyc](#): > > I didn’t have my period at the time if that’s what you mean. As far as bathrooms being co-ed or not–I don’t know. It certainly wasn’t on my mind. I wouldn’t have cared. Interesting question tho’. Never thought about it. Actually, I’d just heard it was really hard to find any bathroom in NYC & it’s harder to just pee into the gutter behind a car … I was trying for an easy question. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-a-female-9-11-wtc-initial-responder/634243/17 "2012-09-10T01:57:08Z")
if this isn’t helping you, consider stepping away. and keeping the TV off for the next few days…but I would guess you thought of that. have you read any books about it that you would recommend? ---
**Author:** ![Stendhal\_Syndrome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@Stendhal\_Syndrome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stendhal_Syndrome)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-a-female-9-11-wtc-initial-responder/634243/18 "2012-09-10T02:00:26Z")
What are some things you do to cope with intense emotions (or feelings or thoughts) since then? Sending you some warm hugs. ---
**Author:** ![cynyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@cynyc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynyc)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-a-female-9-11-wtc-initial-responder/634243/19 "2012-09-10T18:04:06Z")
> [@j666](#): > > Actually, I’d just heard it was really hard to find any bathroom in NYC & it’s harder to just pee into the gutter behind a car … > > I was trying for an easy question. Well, not everything was leveled and if you were a responder, that first week or so especially, people would trip all over themselves to bring their bathrooms to you if needed to go. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![cynyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@cynyc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynyc)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-a-female-9-11-wtc-initial-responder/634243/20 "2012-09-10T18:06:56Z")
> [@Stendhal\_Syndrome](#): > > What are some things you do to cope with intense emotions (or feelings or thoughts) since then? > > Sending you some warm hugs. My options are limited–like I can’t just go fishing or bunches of other stuff because I live in NYC. So Zoloft, Bud-lite and white-knuckling. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-a-female-9-11-wtc-initial-responder/634243.md?page=2)