Mohamed Atta, Marwan al-Shehhi and Ziad Jarrah arrived in Florida in mid 2000, to begin flight training. They moved through the community undetected, blending among international students who pursued pilot certificates in Florida each year. 

How September 11 Involved Florida Sheriffs  

     Today, we think of New York City, the Pentagon and Shanksville. Absolutely. Other news sources are recalling the worst attack ever carried out on American soil. Views will focus on Florida's sobering place in the story. Florida was not a bystander. It was a staging ground, a crisis management center, and ultimately the birthplace of the nation's first counterterrorism strategy. 

     While Floridians like everyone watched TV in disbelief, a deputy sheriff went to NYC (Staten Island) assisting in the recovery of human remains transported from Ground Zero. Other Floridians and hundreds from across the country went to help grieving families. It was physically demanding and emotionally taxing. 

     Florida became the focus of the investigation. Local law enforcement traced the hijackers' movements, contacts and financial dealings. The killers had walked the same neighborhoods they patrolled every day. 

     Within three days, Gov. Jeb Bush directed Emergency Management to assess the state's ability to prevent, mitigate and respond to a terrorist attack. In October, Florida became the first comprehensive state-level counterterrorism strategy published in the nation. 

     Now, 25 years later, the lessons remain in how Florida's sheriffs operate every day. They are guided by September 11, 2001. 

PS. We plan to buy a new computer soon. If you don't see a new blog on Saturday, we're probably still at the store going a bit crazy.