Minutes after a three-pronged terrorist attack on both World Trade Towers and the Pentagon, local residents gathered around television sets and radios trying to make sense of the events.Most were in a state of disbelief.
Christeena Waldrop fought back tears as she watched the events unfold on TVs at Alabama Power's main office.
"It's unbelievable," she said. "It's indescribable what kind of feelings you have."
Ms. Waldrop was concerned about her uncle who is in the Alabama National Guard.
"It's just scary what could happen next. It could happen anywhere," she said. "It makes you just want to go home."
Pearl Williams, director of career development at Jacksonville State University, has a son who's worked at the Pentagon since July.
She said Tuesday she hasn't been able to reach him.
Her son, Army Maj. Dwayne Williams has a wife and two children, according to Mrs. Williams.
"I have a good support system here," she said. "I'm in prayer for my son and for the other families. I'm in shock. I can't believe this could happen in our country."
Along South Quintard Avenue, many workers kept a watchful eye to the western hills where Anniston Army Depot and the chemical weapons stockpile lies.
Florence Whittaker, an employee at the Great American Car Wash, kept craning her eyes out the western windows of the shop.
"You worry about Bynum," said Gloria Nobles, an employee at Sunny King Honda, pointing to the hills. "You know how dangerous that is."
The mood among Sunny King employees was prayerful.
"It's a time for prayer in the country," said Kevin Higgins, a car salesman. "It's a time to hug your neighbor."
"I think that's what everybody's been doing this morning. Telling their neighbor that they love them," Ms. Nobles added.
"We've been expecting a terrorist attack for a long time, and now our luck ran out," said Shane Gay, who works in Sunny King's service division. "So far, we were blessed."
"I feel for the families of the people employed in those buildings, and I feel for the family and the nation."
Speculation about a terrorist attack on the depot caused one woman at the Great American Car Wash to order employees to relinquish her half-washed car. "She drove off in a hurry with her family," said Ms. Whittaker, an Anniston resident.
"This is a very terrorizing experience," commented Ms. Whittaker.
She and others registered horror that the terrorists could so easily slip by security.
"I was really surprised something like this can happen. How can they sneak in upon us like this, with computers monitoring everything?" Ms. Whittaker said.
"How could they get so many planes?" asked one woman, sitting in a waiting room at Sunny King. "Where was the security?"
Tom Price, also watching at Alabama Power, called the events "Incredible.
"I just think it's a painful reminder that there is evil out there that co-exists with the good in this world," Price said.
Louis L. Higgins, superintendent of Oxford City Schools said the school system is on alert with its emergency plan.
"We've had some check out at all the schools," he said. "We certainly let them go."
Kim Beckett with Church of St. Michael and All Angels said some church members know people in New York and Washington.
"We've had quite a few prayer requests," she said. "We have certainly been remembering those folks."
Anniston firefighters, police officers and emergency rescue personnel train for events such as these, but even they were stunned.
"We're all watching TV trying to figure out what's going on," said acting fire Chief Elbert Finley.
Finley activated a firefighter to man the phones at the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at the Calhoun County Emergency Management Agency office in Jacksonville.
"We prepare and train for events like this, but we never think it's going to happen to us," Finley said. "That's why we do so much training because there is so much going on in the world."
Despite the amount of training emergency responders go through, Anniston police Chief Wayne Chandler said we are still at risk.
"What it tells us all is despite the plan we have against terrorists, we're vulnerable," he said. "There are people in the world that have no reservations about killing Americans, destroying property and tearing up things that represent this nation and go to the very heart of our country."
Financial markets in New York and across the country closed following this morning's attack. Mike Monroe, market analyst at A.G. Edwards, said it may not re-open tomorrow, and it's anybody's guess what could happen when it does.
"You never know how the market is going to react," he said. "After the 1993 bombing (of the World Trade Center), it was followed by a several week rally."
In a press release from A.G. Edwards, brokers are attempting to be as positive and upbeat as possible in a situation like this.
"We believe politics will be put aside for awhile, and action will be taken to help consumer confidence and reduce the economic impact," the release said.
"Times like these promote patriotism," Monroe said. "This is the kind of thing that could spark a rally."
"It's like a kick in the gut," said Anniston Mayor Chip Howell. "I remember where I was in Nov. 1963 and in January 1996, and this is a day that has changed the world. It will not be the same … again."
Star staff writers Brian Lazenby, Elizabeth Bluemink and Jennifer McCullars contributed to this report.
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