NYC Emergency Management honors volunteers who assisted in October Borough Park building explosion recovery efforts
New York City Emergency Management Commissioner Joseph Esposito hosted a recognition ceremony at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn to honor the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteers who assisted the Borough Park community following a building explosion on Oct. 3, 2015. The volunteers represented numerous teams in Brooklyn including Borough Park, Bay Ridge, Park Slope, Midwood and Port Richmond in Staten Island. They provided operational support during the response and recovery phases, and spent weeks assisting at the scene of the building explosion and at the reception center. Their responsibilities included perimeter security, resident escorts and traffic management.
“We can never overstate the importance of the CERT volunteers who make sacrifices time and again to assist their communities in times of need,” Esposito said. “The volunteers used their training to help the Borough Park community recover from this tragic event, and they continue to exemplify what being a New Yorker is all about, selflessly helping family, neighbors, even strangers, when necessary.”
“In the face of the awful tragedy that struck our community on Oct. 3, our first-responders showed courage, urgency, professionalism and compassion far beyond the call of duty. Thank you to the FDNY, NYPD, OEM, HPD and DOB for your incredible work,” Councilmember Brad Lander said.