As a 16-year detective with the NYPD, Stuart Goldstein survived both attacks on The World Trade Center, in.1993 and 2001. He was a member of the NYPD’s elite Technical Assistance Response Unit, which dealt with hostage negotiations, surveillance and more.
On September 11, Det. Goldstein was in his own car, when his police radio alerted that a plane had hit The World Trade Center. Very quickly came the follow up that it was a passenger jet. Goldstein immediately called in and was told to report directly to the World Trade Center. On his way in, the second tower was attacked. Immediately after that radio report, Det.
Goldstein heard his Chief Of Department announce on the police radio that the NYC emergency plan was now in effect. Goldstein thought to himself, “I have no clue what that is”. Airports and subways closed down. The city was on lockdown. Soon after arriving on site, Goldstein ran into FDNY First Deputy Commissioner William Feehan and FDNY Chief of Department William Gancy.
They asked him to join them at the FDNY Ops Center at the World Trade Center. Goldstein told them he’d meet them in a half hour. Goldstein was in charge of satellite communications. After the 1993 attack on the WTC, cellular communication was knocked out. He was sure that would happen again.
Had Detective Goldstein gone with Commissioner Feehan and Chief Gancy, he would have died in the collapse of the first tower. It was the just the first time he escaped death that day.