[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 113 (Tuesday, September 10, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1541-E1542]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                RECOGNIZING LOCAL HEROES ON SEPTEMBER 11

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. FRANK R. WOLF

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 10, 2002

  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, as our nation approaches the one-year 
anniversary of the unspeakable acts of terror against America on 
September 11, 2001, I join with my colleagues Representative Tom Davis 
and Representative Jim Moran to recognize some of the people in the 
northern Virginia area who were among the first health care responders 
to the attack on the Pentagon.
  We attended on September 3 an event recognizing those associated with 
the Inova Health System for their heroic efforts on September 11 and I 
share today the remarks of Jolene Tornabeni, executive vice president 
and chief operating officer for Inova Health System, as well as a copy 
of a resolution adopted by the Virginia General Assembly commending 
Inova Health System.

                       Recognizing Inova's Heroes

                         (By Jolene Tornabeni)

       As we approach the anniversary of September 11, no doubt 
     every one of us can remember where we were and what we were 
     doing when the planes crashed in New York, Pennsylvania and 
     the Pentagon. Throughout Inova Health System, the memories of 
     that day remain fresh in our memories as well. At a time when 
     most people wanted to be home with their families and loved 
     ones, our staff showed its true strength of character. 
     Hundreds of employees, nurses and physicians dropped what 
     they were doing and volunteered to help. It was an immediate 
     response that came from the heart.
       Today, I'd like to recognize just some of those people who 
     are Inova's heroes.
       From Inova Alexandria Hospital.--Shortly after the American 
     Airlines plane hit the Pentagon, hospital staff swung into 
     gear readying beds, operating rooms and supplies. Inova 
     Alexandria Hospital treated more patients from the Pentagon 
     that day than any other Inova facility, caring for 24 people 
     who were injured at the scene.
       Among the many heroes that day are Emergency Department 
     Chairman Dr. Marty Brown, vice chairman Dr. Tom Clark and the 
     ER staff who were at the front end of caring for the patients 
     as they arrived at the hospital. Dr. Clark cared for Virginia 
     State Police Trooper Michael Middleton who sustained severe 
     smoke inhalation while trying to rescue injured Pentagon 
     workers. In addition, emergency nurse Sherry Hemby is also 
     with us today.
       I'd like to recognize pulmonologist Dr. Tom Smirniotopolous 
     and nurse Ellen Smith. They both cared for Trooper Middleton 
     during his long recovery at Inova Alexandria Hospital.
       Also, emergency physician Dr. James Vafier. On September 
     11, he was working in his role as medical director for the 
     Alexandria Fire Department at the Pentagon. On site, he was 
     appointed the physician in charge of civilian medical 
     response at the Pentagon.
       Keeping order that day at Inova Alexandria Hospital were 
     Steve Fuoco, the director of engineering, who served the 
     hospital's command center, and Greg Brison, director of 
     security. I'd also like to recognize hospital administrator 
     Ken Kozloff for all of his efforts and a job well done by his 
     entire staff.
       All told, Inova treated 27 patients on September 11. Inova 
     Mount Vernon hospital treated one injured civilian. Our 
     thanks go out to hospital Emergency Department chairman Dr. 
     Michael Shuster and hospital administrator Susan Herbert.
       Many thanks also go to the emergency department staffs at 
     Inova HealthPlex in Springfield where two patients were 
     treated, and the staff of Inova Fairfax Hospital. As the 
     area's Level I trauma center, Inova Fairfax Hospital freed up 
     dozens of hospital beds and readied itself to handle many, 
     many patients that day. Sadly, their services were not 
     needed.
       Next, I'd like to recognize Dr. Dan Hanfling, the director 
     of Emergency Management and Disaster Medicine for Inova 
     Health System. On September 11, Dan was called to the 
     Pentagon to assist in the search and rescue in his role as 
     medical team manager of the Fairfax County Urban Search and 
     Rescue team--which falls under the auspices of FEMA--the 
     Federal Emergency Management Agency. Dan spent a week at the 
     Pentagon helping coordinate the federal response to the 
     disaster. Since 9-11, Dan has helped spearhead and focus 
     Inova's disaster preparations across our system of hospitals 
     and emergency care centers.
       Dan also serves as the medical director of Inova AirCare, 
     our medevac helicopter program which played a critical role 
     at the Pentagon on September 11th. Minutes after the Pentagon 
     was hit, the helicopter flight crew of nurse Margie Roche, 
     paramedic Chuck Crocker and pilot Pete Russet flew to the 
     Pentagon to fly out the injured patients. That initial flight 
     is memorialized forever in a well-publicized Reuters photo 
     seen around the world in magazines and now a book. The photo 
     depicts Inova AirCare against the backdrop of a burning 
     Pentagon.
       The helicopter shuttled much needed supplies to the scene 
     that day, and, at the request of military leaders on the 
     scene, remained at the Pentagon throughout the night.
       As that day unfolded, the community's goodwill became 
     abundantly evident as hundreds of people showed up at Inova 
     Blood Donor Services'offices ready to roll up their sleeves 
     and donate. Thanks to the leadership of medical director Dr. 
     Jeanne Lumadue and administrative director Terri Craddock, 
     Inova Blood Donor Services pulled in volunteers to help 
     handle the onslaught and keep the offices open well past 
     normal business hours. They collected more than 700 units of 
     blood that day, which is just amazing. In all, they handled 
     more than two thousand donors and returned more than 5,000 
     calls from interested donors in the initial days after the 
     attack.
       It was not long after September 11 that our country faced a 
     second threat to our sense of security in the anthrax-laced 
     letters mailed around the country. Inova Fairfax Hospital 
     took center-stage in this national drama after diagnosing two 
     patients from the Brentwood Postal Facility in Washington, DC 
     with inhalation anthrax.
       Emergency physicians Cecele Murphy and Denis Pauze relied 
     on their instinct and medical training to make a diagnosis 
     most doctors could not imagine making in their lifetimes. 
     Thanks to them, and to physician assistant Ashna Nayyar and 
     the entire ER staff, both men are alive today.
       All of these people mentioned today and, in fact, all of 
     the physicians, employees and volunteers throughout Inova 
     Health System, are our heroes for the work they did on 
     September 11 and its aftermath.
       We also have heroes outside of our organization in the men 
     and women of our community's police, fire and EMS agencies, 
     particularly in Fairfax County and the City of Alexandria. 
     Over the past year, we have been grateful for their continual 
     support and advice on preparedness.


                              2002 Session


               SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 275--ENROLLED

                     Commending Inova Health System

                 Agreed to by the Senate, March 6, 2002

           Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 8, 2002

       Whereas, Inova Health System in Northern Virginia was 
     deeply involved in the response to the attacks on September 
     11, 2001, and in the diagnosis and treatment of those exposed 
     to anthrax in October of 2001; and
       Whereas, on September 11, Inova Health System treated 27 
     patients injured in the attack on the Pentagon at its 
     Alexandria, Mount Vernon, and Franconia-Springfield 
     facilities; and

[[Page E1542]]

       Whereas, within moments of the crash at the Pentagon, Inova 
     AirCare was on the scene to transport patients, and AirCare 
     2, the system's back-up helicopter, transported needed 
     supplies to the scene for use in patient triage; and
       Whereas, Inova Blood Donor Services collected more than 
     2,000 units of blood in the first week following the attacks, 
     and a portion of the donations were sent to New York and New 
     Jersey to help injured patients; and
       Whereas, the Inova Institute of Research and Education 
     contacted the Food and Drug Administration to allow usage of 
     a new drug--in its final phase of testing--in a successful 
     attempt to save the life of Virginia State Police Trooper 
     Michael Middleton; and
       Whereas, more than a month after the September 11 attacks, 
     Inova Health System played a leading role in the initial 
     diagnosis and treatment of patients exposed to anthrax at the 
     Brentwood Postal Facility; and
       Whereas, Inova Fairfax Hospital emergency room physician 
     Cecele Murphy diagnosed the first inhalation anthrax patient 
     on October 19, 2001, before the source of the anthrax was 
     known; and
       Whereas, within two days, the hospital diagnosed the second 
     anthrax case, and Inova physicians soon developed protocols 
     for hospitals to follow in screening postal workers and other 
     potential inhalation anthrax cases; and
       Whereas, in collaboration with infectious disease 
     specialists from Kaiser Permanente, Inova physicians 
     published an anthrax case study in the Journal of the 
     American Medical Association, an article that was published 
     faster than any other case study in the journal's history; 
     and
       Whereas, Inova Fairfax Hospital held three press 
     conferences to educate the public on key anthrax information, 
     including the fact that it is not contagious and that 
     patients in and visitors to hospitals are safe; and
       Whereas, Inova Health System continued to take the lead in 
     producing and distributing anthrax information to inform the 
     public via information hotlines, websites, the press, and 
     public meetings; and
       Whereas, throughout the turbulent Fall of 2001, the medical 
     professionals and staff of Inova Health System responded to 
     emergency situations with great dispatch, diligence, courage, 
     and professionalism; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, 
     That the General Assembly hereby commend Inova Health System 
     for its quick and effective response to the events of 
     September 11 and the anthrax incidents in October 2001; and, 
     be it
       Resolved further, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a 
     copy of this resolution for presentation to Inova Health 
     System as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration 
     and gratitude for its dedication to the health and welfare of 
     the citizens of Northern Virginia.

     

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