Columbia Presbyterian Health Sciences Advisory Council To Present Distinguished Service Award To The Heroes Of September 11
NYC mayor, representatives from New York’s Bravest and Finest among those to be honored at award ceremony and luncheon
New York, NY – November 5, 2001 – This autumn, the Columbia Presbyterian Health Sciences Advisory Council will present its semiannual Award for Distinguished Service to the heroes of Sept. 11, those men and women whose courage and selfless dedication to the welfare of others sustained New York—and the nation—in one of its darkest and most desperate hours. Representing all of the extraordinary individuals under their command, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Fire Commissioner Thomas Von Essen, Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik, EMS Operations Chief Robert McCracken, and Jack Delaney, head of EMS Services at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, will receive the award at the fall meeting of the advisory council on Thursday, Nov. 8. “It would be an understatement to say how richly deserving of this award these remarkable people are,” said Dr. Gerald Fischbach, executive vice president for health sciences and dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Columbia University. “Their devotion to saving lives has been extraordinary, continuously ignoring grave personal danger to help ensure the health and safety of others. Their courage and incredible efforts have been an inspiration for us all.” “The selfless acts of bravery that New York’s police officers, firefighters, and emergency service workers committed in the name of our city and country will surely earn them a place in the annals of history,” said Dr. Herbert Pardes, president and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. “Their commitment to rescuing others—at their own personal expense, in many tragic cases—is among the greatest stories of heroism ever told. Paying tribute to their legacy of courage is the very least we can do.” The Columbia Presbyterian Health Sciences Advisory Council meets twice yearly, presenting the Award for Distinguished Service to individuals whose work has made a singular impact on society's health and well-being. This particular Award for Distinguished Service is the third to be given jointly by Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital’s Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center. Formerly known as the Dean’s Award for Distinguished Service, the award was given previously to Mary Lasker, Rosalynn Carter, Tipper Gore, Anna Wintour, Dr. Michael DeBakey, Congressman Charles Rangel, Avon CEO Andrea Jung, actor/director Rob Reiner, and others.
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