The thing that seems mose inexcusable is that Police radios were not capable of comunicating with Firefighter radios, and vice versa. There was no common emergency channel, even if those channels had failed. Police got the warning to evacuate the second building after the first one collapsed, and 21 minutes before the second building collapsed. Firefighters in the second tower never got that warning and didn't even know the first building had come down. The police and fire departments didn't even communicate with each other that day according to reports.
Here is a short excerpt from Part 1:
Minutes after the south tower collapsed at the World Trade Center, police helicopters hovered near the remaining tower to check its condition. "About 15 floors down from the top, it looks like it's glowing red," the pilot of one helicopter, Aviation 14, radioed at 10:07 a.m. "It's inevitable."Part 1 - 9/11 Exposed Deadly Flaws in Rescue PlanSeconds later, another pilot reported: "I don't think this has too much longer to go. I would evacuate all people within the area of that second building."
Those clear warnings, captured on police radio tapes, were transmitted 21 minutes before the building fell, and officials say they were relayed to police officers, most of whom managed to escape. Yet most firefighters never heard those warnings, or earlier orders to get out. Their radio system failed frequently that morning. Even if the radio network had been reliable, it was not linked to the police system. And the police and fire commanders guiding the rescue efforts did not talk to one another during the crisis.
Part 2 - Communications: 'Down to the Lobby,' But No One Came
Part 3 - Command: Distrust Separates Police and Fire
Part 4 - Control: Discipline Broke Down in Eagerness to Help
Part 5 - Sacrifice: 'We'll Come Down in a Few Minutes'
But Rudy was such a hero!