MAYOR GIULIANI HONORS HEROES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and Department of Transportation Commissioner Christopher R. Lynn today honored nine employees of the Department of Transportation (DOT) for acts of heroism and bravery which went beyond the call of duty and for longevity and quality of service. The Mayor presented each employee with a plaque in recognition of his act of bravery, and declared today "Department of Transportation Hero Day."
The nine DOT employees, Bernard Emerson, Raymond Gonzales, Charles Fitzpatrick, Don Westlye, Luther Talley, Donald Daily, Edward Webber, James Weber and Jason Accime, were joined by family, friends and colleagues for today's City Hall celebration.
"I'm proud to be here today to honor the men and women of the Department of Transportation who have brought honor and pride to New York City," Mayor Giuliani said. "We often hear about the heroic acts of firefighters, policemen and other employees of City agencies, but today I'd like to talk about some unsung heroes of the Department of Transportation."
"Every day the men and women of the Department of Transportation work their hardest to serve the people of this City," the Mayor continued. "In a department where professionalism and expertise are vital to the day-to-day operation of the City, each of today's honorees have gone the extra mile to serve their fellow New Yorkers, often times with little thought of the personal risks and dangers involved. Each have overcome fear and acted with extraordinary courage and in the process have made a difference and, most importantly, have saved lives. The Hero Award honors those who have shown an exceptional commitment to New York City and to their fellow human beings."
"The bravery and dedication of these nine people typify what New York is all about: everyday people doing extraordinary things," Mayor Giuliani said. "Employees like these assembled here today make the extraordinary seem commonplace. Thanks to their bravery, many people were saved from serious or even fatal injury. On behalf of the entire City, I thank them for their acts of courage and heroism."
The circumstances behind the awards are as follows:
On January 3, 1997, Bernard Emerson came upon a man attacking a woman on a dark street in Hollis, Queens. Enlisting the help of two young men, he came to the woman's aid, chasing and then holding the attacker down until the police arrived. Mr. Emerson works in DOT's compliance inspection unit and hails from Queens.Commissioner Lynn said, "These heroes should serve as models for what can be done, not just by employees of the City of New York, but by everyone in our City if they take the time and care to look around them and see what is happening. If there is a situation that needs to be handled, and it makes sense to help out, our citizens should try to help each other. The actions of these heroes are an inspiration for their fellow workers and for the City."On January 10, 1997, Raymond Gonzales came upon a burning building and saw victims inside struggling to find a way out. Without hesitation, Mr. Gonzales ran into the building and led two women and a baby to safety. Mr. Gonzales lives in Brooklyn.
On December 24, 1996, Luther Talley and Donald Daily, both attendants, witnessed a woman being attacked with a knife. Using brooms and trash scoops, both Mr. Tally and Mr. Daily were able to repel the attacker and bring the woman to the St. George dock office on Staten Island. Seeing the extent of the victim's knife injuries and arterial bleeding, Charles Fitzpatrick, a maritime engineer, and Don Westlye, a maritime oiler, administered first aid without which the woman would most likely have died. Mr. Talley lives in Queens, Mr. Daily lives in Brooklyn, and Mr. Westlye hails from Staten Island.
On Sunday, March 16, 1997, Edward Webber and James Weber rescued a man who had fallen overboard into extremely cold water of the New York Harbor. Both deckhands at the Staten Island Ferry, Mr. Webber hails from Staten Island and Mr. Weber lives in Long Island.
On August 5, 1996, Jason Accime saw an altercation between two citizens and intervened by preventing one from stealing property from the other. He then held the individual until police arrived at the scene. Accime works as a parking control specialist in Long Island City and lives in Brooklyn.
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