October 8, 2001—The US General Services Administration’s (GSA) FirstGov site contains a comprehensive overview of the US government’s response to the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Numerous phone numbers and sites of various governmental and volunteer agencies to contact for aid or information are included. The site also contains practical suggestions for those desiring to respond to the tragedy, from giving blood, to sending cards, to investing in America, to enlisting in the military.
To name only a few, the FirstGov site contains numbers for: US Department of Labor resources (assistance with job loss, business closures, pay and leave, workplace injuries, safety and health, pension and health benefits, and reservists’ reemployment rights); disaster loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA) for property loss and economic injury to businesses, nonprofits, homeowners, and renters; the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Help Line to apply for assistance; New York City emergency information; death certificate information; federal and military personnel benefits insurance and family assistance; disaster unemployment insurance; and investor questions for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
