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9/11 State of Emergency

Sunday January 1 at 10 pm ET/PT on CBC News Network

On September 11, 2001 thousands faced the ultimate test of their judgment, courage and skill. From senior political leaders to ordinary men and women, 9/11: STATE OF EMERGENCY recounts the difficult split-second decisions people had to make on that day.

Visit CBC News: 9/11 special report

Through a minute-by-minute investigation of the day, 9/11 STATE OF EMERGENCY features some of the frankest and most detailed insider interviews ever filmed from former National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Acting Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Richard Myers and White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card. The special emphasizes the challenges these high-level officials faced as they sought to remain calm and gain control of events in the middle of an unprecedented crisis.

In the most personal interview she has ever given about the events of 9/11, Condoleezza Rice reveals the shock, anger and frustration inside the White House bunker as internal governmental communications failed and rumors of new hijackings swamped air traffic control. Rice also exclusively reveals that in the chaotic aftermath of the first attacks, she had a heated telephone conversation with President Bush.

9/11 STATE OF EMERGENCY also includes a candid interview with Andrew Card as he explains the story behind one of the most iconic pieces of archive footage of 9/11 - the moment he broke into President Bush's visit to the Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Fla. to whisper the news that a second aircraft had hit the World Trade Center.

Donald Rumsfeld and Richard Myers recall the attack on the Pentagon, where Rumsfeld was present and assisted with casualties, and the struggle to readjust air force priorities and practices to cope with an attack from within the United States.

9/11 STATE OF EMERGENCY features interviews with air traffic controllers and F-16 pilots whose actions and decisions helped shape the day and also includes remarkable survival and rescue stories from inside the Towers and the Pentagon.

Additionally, the special features a conversation with Deena Burnett and Alice Hoglan, family members of passengers onboard Flight 93 who were able to speak to their loved ones and pass along information that helped passengers and crew decide to launch their fight-back, thus sparing Washington D.C. from a further attack.

911 STATE OF EMERGENCY is produced by Nutopia. Executive Producers for Nutopia are Phil Craig and Jane Root.