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Remembering 9/11
September 11, 2001, should have made history at the Pentagon for very different reasons - marking six decades since builders turned over the first shovel of dirt to construct the distinctive home of America’s Defense Department. Read on to learn how a renovation project turned into a live saving decision.
A tribute to the heroes at the Pentagon
On September 11, 2001, the world witnessed unimaginable devastation as attacks unfolded at three different sites across the United States: New York, New York, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, and Arlington, Virgina. In the midst of tragedy, stories of heroism emerged. Among those stories is the remarkable response at the Pentagon, where the quick thinking of staff on site led to the systematic shutdown of the Pentagon’s air conditioning system to contain the smoke.
The dedicated facility managers and system engineers within the Pentagon acted swiftly, utilizing every tool available to them. One such tool was Metasys, a building automation system from Johnson Controls, which allowed them to prevent deadly smoke from filtering into other wedges of the Pentagon. The new controls were integral in getting smoke out of the building while puling fresh air in and helped put up air barriers against the smoke from the fires, which burned for days. In those critical and early moments, members of our staff alongside Pentagon building managers played an unexpected but vital role in helping first responders and protecting those inside. Impressively, the very next day when the Secretary of Defense called back Pentagon employees as a statement of resilience, 4.5 million square feet of building space was operating at full capacity with telephone, chilled water and no smoke haze.
Though the tragedies of September 11 will never be forgotten, the response of the people working at the Pentagon that day is a reminder that preparedness and the courage to act make all the difference.
Though the tragedies of September 11 will never be forgotten, the response of the people working at the Pentagon that day is a reminder that preparedness and the courage to act make all the difference. This evergreen tribute honors the resilience of those who faced unimaginable odds and the supporting role Johnson Controls products and solutions played in safeguarding lives and keeping the Pentagon, a beacon of strength and security, operational in the days following the attack.
We remain committed to delivering safer, smarter and more sustainable environments—just as we did on that historic day. Today and always, we remember the victims, the survivors and the everyday heroes of 9/11.
Read more about the Pentagon team’s response
