[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.
____________________