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CNN Live Today
Fire Truck Makers Remember 9/11
Aired March 11, 2002 - 11:17 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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Want to go to the nation's heartland now, to Pierce Manufacturing. It's in Wisconsin, and they build fire trucks and other firefighting equipment.
That's where we find our Jeff Flock talking with some of the workers about 9/11.
Jeff, good morning.
JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, good morning to you.
Perhaps you can see them in process here. This is the world's largest manufacturer of fire trucks: Pierce. It's part of the Oshkosh Truck Corporation. We're trying to get some sense of the heartland.
It took place largely in the East, but it's fair to say these attacks six months ago really struck at the nation's heart.
Joe has worked -- how long here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 13 years.
FLOCK: Six months later, how is your life different?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My life hasn't differed much at all. I've seen other people's differ. but personally, as far as I can see and what I talk to people around here, it really wasn't changed that much at all.
FLOCK: Your support for the efforts now going on half a world away, U.S. military. Do you support that? Should that expand?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I totally support it. I believe we're doing the right thing. We have to do this, obviously. But I feel we could definitely be more aggressive in what we are doing, because we still are lose people overseas, and this shouldn't happen.
FLOCK: Joe, I appreciate your comments.
I can tell you here at Pierce Manufacturing, where they make the fire trucks, they've got one they are now working on that is headed to New York to replace one of the many fire trucks that were lost there. And you've got headed all over this. This one looks like Redmond.
Are you feeling a special kinship or perhaps loss based on happened on September 11, based on what you do here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I was very devastated when I heard the news. I was here at work and wasn't able to view anything until I was able to go home for the day. But being that my wife and I were expecting our last child at the time, it was tough to take.
FLOCK: What's the world that you've brought that child into now?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it's a world that there are hard times, there are sick people, but there are just as many good people also. As we've witnessed, so many volunteers have come forward, volunteers for both the fire departments, EMTs, and also for the military. It's just constant.
FLOCK: We appreciate that. Thank you.
Want to get to one more fellow before we get away here. And it looks like he's right in the middle of his -- this is where the last checks take place before these fire trucks head out.
You are -- not only do you work here, but you're a firefighter yourself.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I'm a volunteer for Greenville Fire Department.
FLOCK: How has it changed the way you approach disaster when you go out to face it in the field, knowing what perhaps awaits you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's changed the way we respond to calls now. Awareness. It's just made us more aware of a lot of things.
FLOCK: How do you feel about way the United States has responded?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I feel President Bush has done a good job in retaliating. I wish they could have done something sooner, because this has been known about, these people, and they knew who they were, and they could have got them before this all happened.
FLOCK: We are going to leave it there. I appreciate it very much. Thank you. We'll let you get back to the business of building fire trucks, which, of course, is what they do out here in Appleton, Wisconsin.
Daryn, that is the latest, some sense of the sentiment in the nation's heartland. Back to you.
KAGAN: Jeff, thank you very much.
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