NYC Transit Museum's "Bringing Back the City" View Full Caption

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — New York City is no stranger to crisis.

But when disaster strikes the city, it isn't just police officers and firefighters who spring into action. Mass transit workers often turn into first responders in situations ranging from deadly storms to catastrophic terrorist attacks.

"Bringing Back the City: Mass Transit Responds to Crisis" is a look at how the system and its employees prepare for and deal with calamities that have hit the city.

The exhibit, which opens Sept. 30 at the New York Transit Museum in Downtown Brooklyn, will highlight photographs, artifacts, multimedia installations and the stories of people who work to restore the network that millions of New Yorkers rely on every day.

While transportation agencies receive their share of criticism for unexpected delays and aging infrastructure, commuters rarely remember times when these employees work tirelessly through a deadly crisis.

The exhibit will give people a chance to see "the critical role the city’s public transportation system and its workers play within the life of the city — both in times of crisis and on a day-to-day basis,” Josh Feinberg, the curator said in a statement.

"Bringing Back the City" will be split into four areas, highlighting both man-made and natural disasters, the Museum said in a press release.

Those include the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the blackout of August 2003 in which thousands of commuters were stuck underground for hours, and destructive weather events such as Hurricane Sandy, Hurricane Irene and the blizzard of 2010.

"Most New Yorkers don't realize that transit personnel are also on the front lines when disaster hits the city," said Gabrielle Shubert, the museum's director.

The exhibit also includes a glimpse at how transit workers are making the system more resilient for future events.

For more information, as well as scheduled panels and tours, visit this website.