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CNN Live Today

Rescue Operations in Full Swing in New York City

Aired September 12, 2001 - 12:10   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's come back to what city officials are confronting in terms of the injured and the potential dead.

Hilary Lane has just finished listening to a news conference that St. Vincent's Hospital held. This is one of the hospitals closest to the World Trade Center area.

What can you tell us, Hilary?

HILARY LANE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Paula, I can update you again on the numbers and that is going to tell you a lot. They are not very different from the last time we reported them: 369 patients passing through, that's just about five more from the last time we reported. Four deaths reported here, one at an affiliated hospital. That says a lot.

According to one doctor here, and I'm going to quote him, "[B]y not seeing a lot of patient," they fear that there are not a lot of survivors.

So the process down at the site moving very slowly, meticulously, gently. We were reporting earlier, they had pulled some people out of the wreckage. The hospital here had gotten a phone call at 7:45 a.m. telling them to expect some of those people, but they have not received anymore phone calls alerting them of anymore survivors who may have been pulled out of wreckage this morning.

They have brought in quite a number of firefighters and rescue workers who were involved in the rescue effort, and some of their injuries are incredibly telling. They have abrasions on their fingers from literally digging with their fingers, trying to move rubble, trying to help people who may still be alive. And that really says a lot for the rescue effort that's going on.

But what also says a lot is behind me, empty stretchers, empty wheelchairs and dozens of hospital personnel here on standby. And waiting to do what they are needed to do, if they should be called into action. Paula?

ZAHN: Hilary, you just mentioned the folks on standby, and I think that Mayor Giuliani wanted the message heard loud and clear that New Yorkers will not be paralyzed by what has happened to this city. He said that there have been thousands and thousands of people who have volunteered to help the paramedics, who have volunteered to do whatever they can in the cleanup process. We know people in record numbers are offering to donate blood.

And I understand, Hilary, at a bunch of hospitals around the city you have doctors traveling from out of town to volunteer their services at emergency rooms. Have you seen that there at St. Vincent's? I think that you mentioned a part of that about a minute ago?

LANE: Absolutely. I spent the day at Bellevue Hospital yesterday, and from early in the morning there were people coming in off of the street. There were two nurses from Texas here in New York City on vacation, heard about this, rushed in as quickly as they could to offer their services.

Dozens of volunteers, and I tell you, the lines to donate blood stretched out of the door. They were moving people in, in groups of 50 to get that plasma, to get the blood in and to be ready.

So, an incredible, incredible volunteer effort. Professionals and civilians as well.

ZAHN: All right, Hilary. Thanks so much for that update.

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