Status of Data Collection Efforts

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is basing its review, analysis, modeling, and testing work for the World Trade Center (WTC) Investigation on a solid foundation of technical evidence. This requires access to critical data such as building documents, videographic and photographic records, emergency response records, and oral histories, in addition to the samples of steel that have been recovered.

NIST has received considerable cooperation and large volumes of information from a variety of organizations and agencies representing the building designers, owners, leaseholders, suppliers, tenants, first responders, contractors, insurers, news media, survivors, and families of victims. In addition, NIST has received and is grateful for cooperation from The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (9-11 Commission). The documents and other information relate to the design, construction, operation, inspection, maintenance, repair, alterations, emergency response, and evacuation of the WTC complex.

Local authorities providing information include the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ or Port Authority) and its consultants and contractors; the New York City Fire Department (FDNY); the New York City Police Department (NYPD); the New York City (NYC) Law Department; the NYC Department of Design and Construction; the NYC Department of Buildings; and the NYC Office of Emergency Management. In addition, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration provided correspondence sent to it regarding the evacuation experience of WTC occupants on September 11, 2001.

NIST also has received information from Silverstein Properties and its consultants and contractors; the group of companies that insured the WTC towers and its technical experts; Nippon Steel; Laclede Steel; U.S. Mineral Products Co. and Isolatek International; Morse Zehntner Associates; W.R. Grace & Co.; Citigroup, formerly Salomon Smith Barney; United Airlines; American Airlines; and Boeing. NIST also received information on floor plans, furnishings, and contents from tenants of all three buildings.

The information from Silverstein and the insurance companies includes the large body of technical work completed by both parties as part of the insurance litigation involving the WTC towers, such as reports on the structural collapse, fire spread and severity, and wind tunnel test results for the WTC towers. In addition, technical experts for both parties independently provided extensive briefings to the WTC investigation team and discussed the tenability environment and the evacuation procedures in the buildings.

View the list of documentary information received or inspected by NIST.

NIST has received all of the essential information it needs for the WTC investigation. That information includes NYC 9?1?1 tapes, the transcripts of approximately 500 interviews of employees of the FDNY who were involved in WTC emergency response activities, and supporting documents for McKinsey & Company’s FDNY study.

View the list of NIST requests for materials that are lost, currently pending, or not yet located.