The man behind the Transportation Security Agency at Bradley International Airport was also a 9/11 first responder, and said the tragedy is part of the reason he wound up in his current position.
On September 11, 2001, Bill Csontos was a K9 handler with Connecticut State Police, and he was called upon to help.
“It was almost like you stepped onto a movie set with the flames still going, firemen putting out the flames, people running left and right trying to save people,” said Csontos, federal security director for the State of Connecticut TSA. “People doing whatever they can to go into that mass destruction looking for survivors. It’s something I will never ever forget. I think about it every single day. That’s what motivates me to do what I do.”
The TSA was formed because of 9/11. Csontos said he knew he wanted to be a part of it. He said he uses every opportunity to teach younger agents.
“I try to use my experience to educate them, and give them a true perspective of why they’re here and why they do the jobs that they do,” he said. “We hear the term never forget. I’ve never forgotten it. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about that response.”
