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Minot first responders remember 9/11

By HANNAH VELASQUEZ 4 min read

Twenty-five years after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, first responders remain at the heart of remembrance as many climbed the stairs of the World Trade Centers and never came back down. Deputy Police Chief Dale Plessas and Fire Battalion Chief Jason Babinchak were working for their departments in Minot when they first heard of the attacks.

"A lot of people, even non-emergency services, sacrificed a lot that day. Family members and community members in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington D.C," Babinchak said.

With the fire department for 26 years, Babinchak said he remembers the morning of the attacks and Garrison Dam being shut down due to safety concerns around the country.

"I was getting off shift that morning, and we had some dive training scheduled off duty, and when we went down to Garrison Dam to do that, we kept updated on the news," Babinchak said. "We were asked to leave the area because we were right by the dam, and they were worried about all the major infrastructure around the country. Even though we're firefighters and we were doing legitimate business, because of security threats we were asked to leave. Then I was just glued to the TV like everyone else."

Plessas on the other hand, was beginning his first day with the police department when the attacks happened. He said he was getting his police physical done and was sitting in the waiting room when he saw the news on the TV.

"The volume on the TV wasn't up, but I saw the plane hitting the tower," Plessas said. "Then the doctor called me into his office, and I came back out and I saw that there was a second plane that hit. No volume so I didn't know exactly what was going on. I got into my vehicle, turned on the radio and heard that there was a plane that hit the World Trade Center. I remember going home and telling my wife, 'I think the country's under attack.'"

Immediately after the attacks, U.S. air space and cities shut down to brace for any further attacks that may have been planned. Babinchak said the city and state started pre-planning in case of an emergency, and at the same time, the community came together during the tough time to support each other and the emergency service departments.

"I came to work the next day and we talked about it and started pre-planning in case of any attacks in North Dakota with the Air Force Base and Garrison Damn," Babinchak said. "A lot of people donating food and other stuff to us and the police department and all the emergency services. People were very generous and very patriotic during the time."

Plessas said the police department expanded security into the airport immediately. Previously, there wasn't a need for officers patrolling the airports, because they had their own security. He went on to say that the bomb squad, the SWAT team, K-9 Unit and all special operations expanded to increase security presence.

"What we did after September 11, the state as a whole really increased our security presence by creating a special operations committee, which allows funding for local agencies like Minot, Grand Forks, Bismarck and Fargo to provide our services to the smaller communities," Plessas said. "It was agencies like the Minot Police Department that stepped up and said we have the ability to do this, so we're going to help and extend our protections to the rest of North Dakota to be good neighbors. That mentally made a big difference in making sure that the entire state was covered whenever they needed help.

As Americans continue to share their stories and experiences 25 years later, many of them detail how the event has changed them. For Babinchak and Plessas, it gave them a stronger drive to help people and be the best at their jobs.

"It gave me more resolve to be better at my job, and to be able to prepare for bigger events like this instead of our normal calls," Babinchak said.

"I'm a different person. I think that law enforcement and first responders, we are all different from before to after," Plessas said. "September 11 really changed our response to how we handled anything that seems out of the ordinary."

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