True Heroics
Tuesday, January 27th, 2009I would like to talk about the incredible landing of US Airways Flight 1549, and I would like to congratulate the captain, onboard crew and all the civilians that came to the rescue on the water.
I wanted to write about this today, as I was at dinner the other night at Jolie on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. One of my dining partners, Dr. Allison Borowski, was on third call at St. Vincent’s Hospital when the plane went down. St. Vincent’s was one of the primary hospitals where emergency cases from the crash would have gone — if there had been any fatal injuries.
Dr. Borowski was a few blocks from the hospital when she got the call. She was very impressed with how efficiently the city responded and how ready the hospital was to receive patients. Another diner at the table said the efficiency was a direct result of 9/11. I wouldn’t be surprised. Dr. Borowski stated that within seconds of the call the streets were roped off and ready for emergency vehicles, but all she saw outside the hospital were news crews. Thanks to the fast-thinking actions of the captain and crew, the engineering of the aircraft and awesome ferry captains, all lives were spared.
It made me proud to be a New Yorker and to see everyone lend a helping hand within seconds of disaster. It also made me relieved to read a story in the paper that had a happy ending. We may have tough times ahead, but a positive attitude and good people make all the difference. The GT staff has exuded this positive attitude, and that is one of the core reasons for our success early in 2009.
-Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher
