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CNN Live Today

America Under Attack: Policemen Find Five Survivors in the Remains of the Twin Towers

Aired September 13, 2001 - 14:50   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.
AARON BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: Back to Lower Manhattan. CNN's Martin Savidge has more on the activities there -- Marty.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And we are talking about the rescue of the firefighters that was pulled off earlier today. Obviously, very good news amidst very bad news that is still being found out, with the recovery effort that is going on.

I'm joined by Jody Parabello (ph). He is a police officer from Millville, New Jersey. And you were down there at the time when these firefighters were found. Tell us what was going on and what the reaction was.

JODY PARABELLO, POLICE OFFICER: Well, we arrived some time around 12:00 last night, and there was just a numerous amount of people. When we finally got the go ahead to go do our searches, we were in there with buckets and shovels, and it's just a slow process. And some of the things we found in there were kind of depressing, but we kept all looking trying to find some survivors.

SAVIDGE: And then you did.

PARABELLO: Yeah. We -- as we were digging, everybody started creaming that a fireman was saved. And it was just unbelievable. Everybody started cheering. And it was just a chain reaction, "USA, USA." It was just unbelievable. That's what we were there for, and it was just a great feeling.

SAVIDGE: And what does it do for the teams that are so hard at work there trying to find survivors?

PARABELLO: I think everybody just started working harder, and people were screaming, "That's one. Let's go for two." And it was just -- everybody was going crazy at that point.

SAVIDGE: How long have you been at it today?

PARABELLO: I have been at it for about 10 hours.

SAVIDGE: Will you come back tomorrow?

PARABELLO: I'm hoping so. SAVIDGE: All right. Jody Parabello (ph), who is a police officer with the Millville police department, which is located in New Jersey. Just one of thousands and thousands of volunteering that have come down to try to find someone, and he did. Aaron, back to you.

BROWN: "Everyone was going crazy," he said, when they found them. Imagine the exhilaration, the elation, that these men and women, who have been down there now since early Tuesday, must feel. They haven't had many moments like it, but what they must feel when they finally pull someone out of there alive and well. It is hard to imagine, the joy they must feel and the energy it must give them to keep on working.

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