The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, will forever live in the minds of many, especially those who aided in the rescue and recovery operations. Dr. Kem Bennett, senior professor in the Wm Michael Barnes '64 Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering and vice chancellor and dean emeritus in the College of Engineering, was among those who arrived in New York with Texas Task Force One. That harrowing experience challenged the team and further instilled the need for the training facility designed and opened in 1998 — the now world-renowned Disaster City.

Since its opening, Disaster City has trained people representing every U.S. state and territory and more than 100 countries. Bennett shared his experiences with Disaster City, and how the training program impacted the team's time at Ground Zero, as well as how that experience influenced training since. 

Please note that this episode includes content describing destruction at Ground Zero and recovery efforts that some listeners may find disturbing.