By: News Bureau
College of DuPage honored those lost on Sept. 11, 2001, and the first responders who risked everything in the aftermath, in a ceremony at the Robert J. Miller Homeland Security Education Center (HEC) on the College's main campus in Glen Ellyn.
During the ceremony, COD Homeland Security Training Institute instructor Mike Fagel reflected on his time at Ground Zero in the days and months following the terror attacks. Drawing on more than 40 years of experience in public safety, emergency management and disaster response—including more than 100 days with the Fire Department of New York—Fagel shared personal stories, reflections and artifacts that reveal the human side of that historic day. View a video of Fagel sharing his story.
The HEC places COD at the forefront of first responder training in the Midwest. Approximately 7,600 individuals receive training through the HEC annually.
Inside the HEC is a beam from the World Trade Center. COD is one of the few educational institutions in the U.S. selected to receive a relic from the Twin Towers following 9/11. The beam is 27" by 127" and weighs more than 1,000 pounds. The HEC has installed a permanent memorial to 9/11 that has as its focal point a ceiling beam from one of the buildings. It serves as a daily reminder to faculty, staff, students and visitors of the privilege and importance of our mission.