"What we did wasn't extraordinary, it was just what civil servants do when faced with a situation, whether Federal agents, police or firemen - any of us," Ms. Ritzema said following a Headquarters ceremony on February 21st. "On that day agents and auditors pulled together and did what we had to do. These awards are for all the people of the New York office that were there and had to deal with that catastrophe."

Along with 30 other men and women, she worked out of 6 World Trade Center, the district's largest office. It was adjacent to 1WTC, the North Tower, which was hit first during the terrorist attack. In January, 2002, with sufficient time passed, the OIG SAC sent a message to her coworkers across the country. She recounted the horrifying hours and stressful, chaotic days that followed the attack, but made a special point on behalf of all the NYC OIG staff to send "thanks to the HUD-OIG family for the support, kind thoughts, words and actions generously provided to the NY/NJ district during and after the events of September 11th."

Ms. Ritzema noted that there were a number of ironies which she believes saved the lives of her coworkers. First, the district had scheduled an evening firearms qualification - which only occurs, at best, 4 times a year - and advised agents to go to the range later that day instead of reporting to their offices.

HUD OIG offices were located here, adjacent to the North Tower.

ASAC Joe Clarke worked very late the previous evening, and on the morning of September 11th was picking up supplies for the firearms training instead of working at his desk. Four agents from Buffalo, SAs Philip Kiefer, Heather Yannello, Stacie Wilson, and Thomas Egloff were traveling on the subway to 6WTC from their hotel, but mistakenly got off at the city hall exit instead of the best exit - which would have put them in the basement of the WTC complex at the time the first plane hit. ASAC Jeanne Daumen was held up in traffic on Staten Island, and was sitting at the Holland Tunnel when the first plane hit.

The early bird auditors and administrative staff were already at work on that morning - including auditors Phylis Barone, Randy Every, Dianne Benjamin, Hector Zapata, Eliot Gallub, Francis Ranzie, and Norman Krieger, as well as secretaries Rosa Cordova and Herminio Sanchez - and heard the explosion. Sanchez saw pieces of the plane and building fall, and immediately told everyone to calmly evacuate. Auditor Every made sure that everyone was safely vacated. They went across the street but were separated when the second plane struck Tower 2.

Ms. Ritzema left a meeting in NJ to get to the office when she heard about the first plane, using the shoulder of the NJ Turnpike - by then a 'parking lot' from all the vehicle traffic. Calls to the office got only a busy signal. As she drove towards the city southern Tower 2 collapsed before her eyes and she heard on the radio that the Pentagon had also been attacked.

Hole in building (center) was once HUD OIG evidence and tech room

The next hours and days were difficult and often completely frustrating. The initial priority was to account for all of the staff. She said the ASACs had rallied the agents, and everyone was accounted for in about 8 hours. "In that sense our office was incredibly lucky, though you couldn't help but feel guilty working side by side with people who were still missing family and friends," she said. The following weeks were about turning chaos into an organized investigation while dealing with the many difficult personal issues. She made a special point that Secretary Martinez and Interim IG Williams were completely supportive.

"Our Auditors and Administrative staff did whatever they could to support the law enforcement mission, while starting to rebuild. We lost all of our evidence, most of our equipment, all of our administrative files, and the office that housed most of our staff. The Auditors and Administrative staff under HFI ADIGA Mark Klein set up a temporary location in Newark where DIGA Al Malloy temporarily relocated his staff. They rebuilt cases, looked for space options, coordinated with HUD, and generally supported the agents in many ways, not the least being emotionally," she said.

"What we don't have to rebuild is our spirit to continue the good fight even in these difficult times, as all we have to do is look at the gaping hole down the street and remember what is really important."

Her message concluded with: "I can only start to say how incredibly proud I am to be part of the NY/NJ office who went through many unspeakable horrors and still came in and did what they needed to do. I am also keenly aware of how all of you were supporting us in thought and deed and want you to know how much that meant to us. Every time any of us spoke with a HUD-OIG employee (admin, audit, cross the board) in the country we got the same message. Hang in there and if there is anything we can do, just ask. When we did ask, you gave 110%. Thank you for that and we won't forget."