First responders are the unsung heroes of any disaster. They are the ones who rush into danger while everyone else is rushing out. They are the ones who risk their lives to save others and also the ones who see the horror and devastation up close and personal.

For disaster specialists, the events of September 11 were unlike anything they had ever dealt with before. The scale of the disaster was massive and the emotional toll was immense. For many, the 9/11 terrorist attack was a day of tragedy and heartbreak. But for some, it was a day of courage and heroism.

In this episode, Jim and Dan are joined by Stacey Goodman. Stacey was a female police officer with federal disaster training who was pulled out of the suburbs of Long Island and thrust into the heart of the 9/11 mayhem of the World Trade Center devastation. She worked at the very center of the rescue and recovery efforts on the Pile for 23 days. Stacey witnessed firsthand the horrific details of the terror attacks that decimated the world’s financial center. Her book, The Dust Never Settles, is a firsthand account of her experience at Ground Zero and the aftermath she faces along with thousands of other survivors.

Stacey shares with Jim and Dan how she got involved as a disaster specialist during the 9/11 terrorist attack, what it is like to work on the Pile, and how she is still fighting for her medical benefits.