Safety Wars 9-11-2026 9/11 at 25: Lessons Unlearned in Disaster Preparedness

On the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Jim Poesl of Safety Wars shares his personal experience witnessing the attacks from Hoboken, then examines their lasting safety and policy legacy. He recounts the chaotic Ground Zero recovery, the lack of respirators, and Christine Todd Whitman's EPA assurances that the air was safe—despite warnings from industrial hygienist Jeffrey Olcott. Jim questions accountability, sovereign immunity, and whether lessons were applied to later crises like H1N1 and COVID-19, arguing preparedness capacity keeps eroding. A Feature Story News segment covers current events, including Saudi pipeline attacks, the 25th 9/11 memorial ceremonies, and global diplomacy. The episode closes with an extended discussion of a Guardian article on 9/11's "dark legacy"—covering victims' families, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, bin Laden's mixed legacy, and how post-9/11 fear reshaped American politics. Jim urges honest accountability, unity ("September 12th thinking"), and better individual/community disaster preparedness going forward.www.safetywars.com.  www.jamespoesl.com