Reopening Old Wounds

I think the main thing is that this is understandably upsetting. It's horrible for the people it happened to, and it stirs up memories for everyone. The fact that people are made anxious by this is not by itself a bad thing. If you find yourself overwhelmed, if you can't stop thinking about it, if you can't sleep if it gets to the point where it's really impairing your ability to function, then you may need some help in dealing with it.

What should people tell their children in this case?

It scares children, and to pretend there's nothing wrong or to hide it from them is a mistake. Kids have very keen antennae for emotion. The best thing to do is just to sit down with them and help them make sense of it at a level they can understand, depending on their age. But it's OK to say, "Mommy and Daddy are worried about this, too, but we're going to do everything we can to protect you and here's what happened." Make them a part of what's going on.

For someone who suffers from PTSD after 9/11, what can something like this do?

Well if you've had PTSD in the past or if you still have it, you're at higher risk for getting it again even with a lesser trigger.

What are some of the symptoms of PTSD?