Pay Attention, Please... Want your tenants to take your next emergency preparedness drill seriously? Just have them read Chapter 9, Heroism and Horror, of The 9/11 Commission Report. It's an absolutely hair-raising account of the last 102 minutes of the World Trade Center Towers.

Here's why you should pay attention. As the Commission writes, "The 'first' first responders on 9/11, as in most catastrophes, were private-sector civilians. Because 85 percent of our nation’s critical infrastructure is controlled not by government but by the private sector, private-sector civilians are likely to be the first responders in any future catastrophes."

On September 11, average people -- just like you and me -- were forced to make excruciating decisions about where to go and what to do with limited, nonexistent or misleading information. At the same time, building professionals and fire and police first responders tried desperately to develop an accurate picture of what was happening with limited or nonexistent communications.

Yet the tragedy could have been much worse. Estimates are that at 8:46 a.m. on September 11, 2001, "between 16,400 and 18,800 civilians were in the WTC complex." At most, 2,152 individuals died who were not fire and police first responders or security or fire safety staff at the World Trade Center or individual companies. "Only 110 who died worked below the impact zone."

As the Commission concludes, "A rededication to preparedness is perhaps the best way to honor the memories of those we lost that day."

Tell the World... You'll notice the Announcement above (and below) for NEWplans.com, a subsidiary of MindMatrix, which promises quick delivery of redrawn or cleaned-up building plans. So if you need better plans for your next drill, contact CEO Harbinder Khera. And if you'd like to make an Announcement of your product or service to Dispatch readers, call me at 415-461-4703 or send e-mail.

--Peter Pike