New York City Firefighters and Police Officers Take Off on Humanitarian Relief Airlift to Afghanistan.Business Editors NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 18, 2001 Bravest and Finest to deliver food, blankets and meet US troops in Kabul A group of New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. Firefighters and New York City Policemen, including Fire Department Chaplain Father John Delendick, will leave today for Kabul to deliver a cargo of food, blankets and other emergency supplies to the people of Afghanistan. The humanitarian mission, dubbed "The Spirit of America Spirit of America is the trademarked name used by Craig Breedlove for his land speed record-setting vehicles. The Spirit of America was the first of the modern record breaking cars, build within new rules with its three wheel design, narrow stream-lined Ground Zero to Ground Zero Airlift," will depart Tuesday, December 18 at 3 PM from "Ground Zero" at the site of the World Trade Center. This will be the first time that members of the uniformed emergency services emergency services Emergency care '…services …necessary to prevent death or serious impairment of health and, because of the danger to life or health, require the use of the most accessible hospital available and equipped to furnish those services' from the City of New York have visited the war zone. In addition to delivering the much-needed relief supplies, the firefighters and police officers will meet with US troops in Kabul. New York City Fire Commissioner Thomas Von Essen Thomas Von Essen was appointed the 30th Fire Commissioner of the City of New York by Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani on April 15, 1996 and served in that position until the end of the Giuliani Administration on December 31, 2001, nearly four months after the September 11, 2001 attacks. said: "The New York City Fire Department The New York City Fire Department or the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) has the responsibility for protecting the citizens and property of New York City's five boroughs from fires and fire hazards, providing emergency medical services, technical rescue as well as has always stepped up in times of crisis, not only on the local level within our communities, but on a global level as well. Along with supplies for those facing the harsh Afghan winter, these New York heroes will also be delivering a message that all Americans want to begin the process of healing and rebuilding." In addition to FDNY FDNY Fire Department New York (New York City, NY, USA) FDNY Fort Drum, New York (US Army) Chaplain John Delendick, on board will be Fire Fighter 1st Grade Joseph Higgins of Ladder Company 111, Lawrence Connors - Officer in Charge FDNY Fort Totten Operations, and Battalion Chief Donald Hayde of Special Operations Command A subordinate unified or other joint command established by a joint force commander to plan, coordinate, conduct, and support joint special operations within the joint force commander's assigned operational area. Also called SOC. See also special operations. . From the NYPD NYPD New York City Police Department (since 1845; New York City, NY, USA) NYPD New York Play Development , Detective Thomas McDonald Elite Service Squad #2, Emergency Service Unit, and Police Officer Jose R. Guerra Elite Service Squad #3, Emergency Service Unit. Chaplain John Delendick said, "This airlift to the other ground zero is the ultimate gesture of healing. It is important for all of us in New York City's emergency services and I want to thank Guinness UDV for responding to this need to help by supporting this humanitarian gesture." The relief team will leave New York for Ostende, Belgium, where they will load a cargo transport plane with 90,000 lbs of cooking oil, essential in Afghanistan, as well as rice, powdered milk and blankets. The group will fly on to Baku, Azerbaijan, and then on to Bagram Airbase
The airlift is supported by the Spirit of America Fund, which was created by Guinness UDV and parent company Diageo Plc., to provide humanitarian relief to the victims of the September 11th attacks On September 11, 2001, in the deadliest case of domestic Terrorism in the history of the United States, a group of 19 terrorists hijacked four U.S. airliners for use as missiles against targets in New York City and Washington, D.C. . The fund is supported by donations from employees and business partners of Guinness UDV and Diageo and matching funds from the company. In less than three months the Spirit of America Fund has raised more than $1.7 million and to date has provided more than $400,000 to send 100 children who lost a parent to "Exploration Camp" next summer, donated over $250,000 to the Windows of Hope Family Relief Fund, given the City of New York's Office of Emergency Management over $100,000 worth of field computers called "Toughbooks," provided computers to New York City elementary schools and helped to replace an ambulance crushed on September 11th. |
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