It’s been 22 years since terrorists hijacked a plane and crashed it into the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, killing all 59 passengers aboard and 125 people who worked in the building. Other planes destroyed the World Trade Center towers in New York and crashed in a small town in Pennsylvania. In total, almost 3,000 people were killed in the attacks.

When American Airlines Flight 77 hit the Pentagon, first responders from Arlington, Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall and elsewhere in the region rushed to the scene to contain the blaze, rescue people from the collapsing section of the building, and treat the injured.

“The day was clear, with a bright blue sky as summer was beginning to release us from its grip,” remembered Arlington firefighter Capt. David Santini.

Santini spoke at an Arlington County ceremony marking today’s anniversary with the formal laying of a wreath outside the county government’s offices and a moment of silence at 9:37 a.m., the moment of impact at the Pentagon. He paid tribute not only to the first responders, but also to the civilian and military workers, many of whom sprung into action to help evacuate the damaged building.

More than two decades later, locals across the region still remember the chaos, grief, and terror of that day. For many, the tragedy irrevocably changed life in D.C. and its suburbs, making today an important time to memorialize neighbors who died and honor the courage of those who ran towards the disaster instead of away from it.

“Many survivors were rescued by their coworkers who were themselves reeling from the explosive force of the impact and nearly impenetrable fire and smoke,” said Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “Amidst the explosions, the fire and the terror, ordinary Americans demonstrated extraordinary valor and courage.”

Milley spoke at a Department of Defense ceremony for survivors and families of the victims, held where the plane hit the Pentagon. He also honored the employees who returned to work on Sept. 12, even as part of the building continued to burn. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin also spoke, praising the efforts of Pentagon workers and volunteers who set up an assistance center to help bereaved families, first responders, and survivors with hot meals, medical care, and mental health support.

In D.C., at a ceremony at historic downtown fire station Engine 16, fire chief John Donnelly recalled how jarring it was to respond to the tragedy.

“When I reflect on 9/11, I remember the shock and confusion of learning of the incident as it unfolded, and trying to figure out, how did somebody fly a plane into a building on this beautiful day?” Donnelly said.

Donnelly spoke about other personal memories, too: a phone call from his wife, who worked at the airport, telling him about a plane crash and a hasty evacuation. He recalled feeling like he had to get to work without knowing exactly why — and, once there, seeing the smoke from the Pentagon and traffic jams from people fleeing the city. He remembers worrying about his daughter even as he was swept up in the response.

“The visceral reactions we have when we think back to those memories are now a part of our DNA,” said D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser at the Engine 16 ceremony. “That is part of what we will never forget.”

Bowser honored the Washingtonians who died on Sept. 11, including a group of four D.C. Public Schools students and three teachers who were on Flight 77 as part of a National Geographic Society trip to California. Three other Washingtonians also died on the flight, and five more were killed in the Pentagon.

The initial horror of Sept. 11 gave way to hard work, Santini remembered at the Arlington ceremony.

“At the Pentagon, the response and recovery efforts lasted for 20 days,” he said. “As that work ended, the community began the healing process and the responders intensified their efforts to prepare for a new generation of threats.”

He noted that the Sept. 11 attack dramatically changed the focus and mission of the U.S. military, thrusting service members into wars in the Middle East. Estimates suggest that more than 7,000 U.S. military personnel have died in wars since 9/11 as well as over 400,000 civilians. Over 30,000 veterans of those same conflicts have died by suicide.

A recently-commissioned U.S. Navy ship, the USS Arlington, is named to honor the victims and first responders of the attack on the Pentagon; a replica is displayed at Bozman Center, the county government building.

Donnelly picked up on a similar theme of local preparedness for future threats, noting increased public support and funding for first responders and an ever-stronger regional response to major events.

“We now have staffing and resources that we did not have on those days to better prepare us to respond to the future,” he said. “We see how many times it has helped us since then. We see it on January 6th, we see it on climate-driven events, and we see it every day in the creativity in solving problems that our citizens have.”

The aftermath of Sept. 11 also led to major changes around the D.C. region, rapidly accelerating the rise of national security contracting. The sudden glut of high-paid jobs in the defense industry is believed to have contributed to gentrification and displacement of Black Washingtonians.

Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan spurred the arrival of multiple waves of refugees in the D.C. region, shaping neighborhoods with new traditions, new businesses, and new perspectives. Newer and older residents of Middle Eastern descent — particularly those who are practicing Muslims — also say 9/11 and the subsequent wars abroad increased hostility to them and their families at home.

First responders in the region are still experiencing the long-term costs of Sept. 11, dealing with the mental health toll of the response and the physical health conditions — including cancer — that resulted from exposure to toxic substances in the damaged Pentagon.

“We should never forget those who initially survived, but still later made the ultimate sacrifice,” said Arlington’s Santini. Harvey Snook, an Arlington police officer who responded to the Pentagon and was part of the recovery effort in the days after, died in 2016 at age 49 of cancer contracted as a result of that work. More than 1,200 survivors and first responders from the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pennsylvania attacks are currently enrolled with the federal health care program designed to care for them.