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WPCNR FOR THE RECORD. September 11, 2011.

Remarks of White Plains Commissioner of Public Safety, David Chong at the Sunday afternoon opening of the New York Remembers exhibit presenting artifacts and history of the 9/11 World Trade Center attack ten years ago today. Commissioner Chong was one of the NYPD officers who was involved in the midst of the horror of that day ten years ago.

“Governor Coumo,  Mayor Roach, Elected and distinguished officials, men and women of Public Safety and honored guests.  I am honored and humbled to be here representing our brave first responders. 

The first responders on September 11th 2001, our current first responders and maybe a few who are thinking of public service for our future?  I’m honored to be able say a few words about September 11, 2001, on this the tenth memorial of that tragic day. 

People have often said, every generation has had a life changing experience or so called, day of infamy.  Our generation’s day of infamy was September 11th, 2001.

 So many words and tears of sorrow have been shed since that day and will be continued to be rightfully shed for generations to come. 

Certainly we will never forget our loved ones who died ten years ago, our family, colleagues, friends, and neighbors, and we cannot and will not forget all of our loved ones who have died since.

Dying from sicknesses attributed to working at ground zero, from broken hearts, and dying in our military, some far away from home, defending us, the greatest nation in the world. 

We did not pick this fight, but as Americans and as New Yorkers, the terrorists, the ones who did pick the fight, now know that we have overwhelmingly won the fight, and will continue to win the fight as long as you threaten us.

So for all of you honored people present, I wish today,  instead of speaking on our sorrow,  I wish to speak of our heroism and of the American spirit. 

On that darkest day of my life, being a member of the NYPD and spending time in both towers as they burnt,  I witnessed amazing feats of heroism.  Firefighters, Police Officers, EMS, all ran towards the flaming towers in order to do the best they could, to get people out of the buildings.

343 FDNY, 23 NYPD, 60 PAPD, and 1 EMS technician paid the ultimate sacrifice.  Then there are so many of us that continue to pay the price with nightmares and medical conditions.  Speaking to anyone of us ten years later, and to our current Public Safety personnel, not one of us would do anything less today.

Besides witnessing the bravery and sacrifice by first responders and emergency personnel, I will never forget the heroism by everyday folk,

Americans and New Yorkers, men and women of all ages, and ethnicities, who could have panicked and ran for their very lives, but instead stood in the face of the unknown, shoulder to shoulder with us first responders, all the while knowing of the dangers around them, and in typical New Yorker and American grit, helped us and each other assisting with the injured and dying, the weak and disabled.

I saw with my own eyes, New York’s first responders and New York’s people work together as I had never witnessed before.  All in the face of personal danger and death. 

In those finest hours and in the finest tradition as caring Americans, we sent a message that day to terrorists around the world, “you can kick us and you may even hurt us,  but in the end, we, Americans, New Yorkers, will get up and make you pay dearly.  Then we will brush ourselves off and grow even stronger. 

We have shown this ten years later, as we memorialize that day of infamy,  we will never forget.

 Today on September 11th 2011, ten years later, I can stand here as a proud survivor and public servant and say,

New York has recovered, lower Manhattan is more vibrant than ever,  The Freedom tower will be bigger than ever.  America has recovered, the pentagon is rebuilt.

Most importantly, the terrorist networks are on the run, the demon responsible has been brought to justice by the best military force in the world.

And the men and women who proudly wear the uniform of our first responder today, do so willing, and are better prepared than ever.

There is a saying among us September 11th 2001 first responders,  the saying is that “we lost close to 3000 people that day, but we saved over well over 100,000.”

We came together, strangers became heroes and we proved that we are, by far, the greatest nation in the world.  I promise, as the greatest nation we will never forget.  First Responders and military personnel,  we salute you and thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Thank you, Governor Cuomo, for choosing White Plains and honoring our city, all of our first responders, and all New Yorkers with these very poignant exhibits.

God bless you all, God bless New York and God Bless the United States of America

 

WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey. September 10, 2011:

Loucks Field, closed due to wrinkles appearing in its 3 year-old synthetic surface was flattened, cleaned and groomed Saturday morning by Sportcare of Bridgewater, New Jersey, a synthetic turf maintenance firm. 

Loucks Field as of 1 P.M. Saturday looked brand-new, flat and ready to be used despite dark areas of the surface indicating dampness.

A reliable source with knowledge of the present condictions, told WPCNR the water table at the field  remained high, and that an absorbent sock needed to be placed under the bleachers to absorb water coming down underneath the bleacher area as a further precaution

Pending further rains (forecast for this afternoon), the field looked in excellent condition, better than it has looked in sometime.

SportCare workers flattened the wrinkles in the field (existing since August 28,after Hurricane Irene), then groomed and cleaned the field with motorized brushes and rollers. They also filled in a gap near the west sideline bench with field filler material where an airspace had allowed water to get to the surface of the field that hand been created by a boulder creatinga gaps.

Middle of field to the North of the South Goal had contained a 30 yard wrinkle and the wrinkles were squeezed out by hand and is smooth as of 1:15 P.M.

A source familiar with the situation said  SportCare was called  and did the procedure for a fee of approximately $17,000. LandTek, the company that constructed the field that the school district originally was going to bring in to make the repairs was going to charge $62,700, and was expected to take three days. The cost will be paid by school district insurance.

Pending further unexpected effects from the high water table, or rains forecast for later this week, the field  should be playable for next Friday when White Plains is scheduled to play its first football game.