Former NYPD officer tells his 9/11 story.
Will speak at Sept. 9 Luncheon

Jim Shepherd, former officer of the New York Police Department, found himself in the middle of chaos during the September 11 attacks. With a background in crisis organization and managing disaster sites, he reacted instinctively to the attacks as he had been trained to do. He also was pleased to observe The Salvation Army responding instantly and effectively.

Jim was off duty on that fateful day. As he was preparing to leave his gym after an early morning workout, he spotted the first plane flying low over the Financial District. As he watched in confusion, Jim saw the plane crash into the World Trade Center building. He immediately reported for duty, and upon his arrival at the scene, Jim observed the rest of New York City reacting to the devastating attacks.

“It was like a movie set,” Jim said. “Nobody could grasp what was going on. We didn’t realize the scope of the attack. People just looked up at the towers in awe.”

Jim never hesitated as he efficiently executed his orders to assist in the rescue of September 11 victims. In the midst of his rescue work, Jim noticed The Salvation Army had responded immediately to provide support.

“It was like an entire organization had completely moved in,” Jim said. “Their (The Salvation Army’s) resources came so quickly, and they gave so freely.”

The Salvation Army’s presence at Ground Zero brought organization, a sense of community and immediate patriotism to the scene. The Salvation Army’s volunteers did everything they could to make the recovery effort flow as smoothly as possible by calmly organizing resources and being a reliable resource for the community.

“I saw the very worst in people and the very best in people that day, standing side by side,” Jim said.

Jim will go into more detail about his 9/11 experience and the role The Salvation Army played in the recovery efforts at the “God Bless America” luncheon on Wednesday, Sept. 9. For more information about the luncheon, please call Arlene Southern at 901.683.6603.