Training never stops: On 9/11, TSA, MacDill practice together to identify threats

TAMPA, Fla. - Smoke and flames lit up the sky at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, but it was all for training.

Transportation Security Administration agents from Tampa International Airport and the 6th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit teamed up for the session Wednesday morning. Members of MacDill's EOD team walked through nine potential bomb threat situations before setting off the explosives. 

"Days like today are a specific example of why it's really imperative to continue to train with local agencies to continue to mitigate those terrorist threats as much as possible," said 6th Civil Engineer Squadron Sgt. Jordan Oswald.

It's a message that holds special significance to TSA officer and former New York police officer Luis Cruz. He watched as each bomb detonated and reflected on the safety and security changes he has seen since the September 11th terror attacks. 

"It's a day as a New Yorker and as an American citizen that you will never forget," he said. "It's a day that changed our outlook and the way we live our daily lives."