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CNN Live At Daybreak

America's New War: Trying to Cope

Aired September 24, 2001 - 08:09   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: Right now, we want to get closer to the scene -- these 60 acres known to many of the workers there simply as "the ruins."

Our Bill Hemmer is standing by, and he is watching this painstaking recovery effort very closely -- good morning again, Bill.

BILL HEMMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Paula, good morning again to you.

A bit of good news here in this part of Manhattan. As we look down the street here -- you can't see it, because we are blocked by a couple of buildings. A few blocks down here is the entranceway to the Holland Tunnel. That's the major artery in lower Manhattan that connects commuters from New York to New Jersey. It's been closed for 13 days.

It's open based on our observation at this point. We called the city to confirm it. They can't at this time, but we're seeing vehicles go into that tunnel under the Hudson River and head out of New York. Possibly more answers on this in about an hour and 15 minutes when FEMA officials and city officials will answer some questions this morning.

The other thing, Paula, that is so enormous about this project. You know, we talk about these numbers, and they are so large and so big. Every time we make phone calls and every time we talk with officials -- look at the number we picked up this morning. The Office of Emergency Management saying that they have taken, in 13 days' time, phone calls from 8,000 people in this part of New York alone, who live here and have been affected by either temporary housing concerns or damaged or lost possessions -- 8,000 phone calls from people to FEMA over the past 13 days.

More numbers now: We're told also 11 search-and-rescue teams on the site, working in a numerous amount of shifts 24 hours a day. Also getting word -- five medical teams on standby 24 hours a day in case of injury to any of the workers and rescuers on the scene here.

Typically, New York City, a city of sightseeing, but now New Yorkers, the residents themselves, are the sightseers. This past weekend, so many come down, drifting down to lower Manhattan to see what they can of the ruins or the site, and you can see it in their faces. They stare at the ruins, they stare at the destruction here, and their voices, full of sadness and sorrow.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIENTIFIED FEMALE: The memorial, it's making me feel like I'm a little bit closer with the families, and I can say I saw this for myself. And if we stand proud with America. And just maybe be able to handle this better. I'm not handling this very well.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's really important to just really connect it with some semblance of reality. It's very easy to keep watching television and numb yourself, and it becomes a bit of a dream or it becomes like just a movie with the repetition of everything. And I think it's just important to -- I think it's really important to connect with all of the other people.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It makes me think a lot of things. I recently became an American citizen also. So it's just strange.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They accomplished on the 11th what they failed to accomplish in February of '93, when I was up on the 99th floor when the bomb went off. And all I could say was God bless those poor souls.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: A constant stream at times of people drifting down to this part of Manhattan and so many have the same reactions. They get closer and closer to the site. They stop and they stare, and they cannot take their eyes off of it. Clearly, their emotions can be felt and heard in the comments we just had here.

More than 6,000 still missing and presumed dead. Also the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder, both still missing as of this point on Monday morning -- Paula.

ZAHN: All right, thanks, Bill -- see you in a half hour or so.

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