Sadly, many others didn’t make it out alive. In total, nearly 3,000 people died in the attacks that day, which is known as 9/11 (see sidebar). That includes more than 400 firefighters, police officers, and paramedics in New York City.
Twenty years later, Hansson is still a firefighter. He also volunteers for the 9/11 Tribute Museum. There, he tells visitors about the bravery of others. But he doesn’t call himself a hero.
“My job is to save people, so it’s not heroic to me,” he says. “It’s what I signed up to do.”