28 THE QUEENS COURIER • JANUARY 30, 2020 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
NYPD recognizes Jamaica Hospital’s Trauma
Department for its service to the community
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
Th e NYPD Patrol Borough
Queens South recognized the
men and women of the Trauma
Department at Jamaica Hospital
Medical Center on Monday, Jan.
27, for its many years of service
to the community and NYPD.
A plaque of appreciation was
presented to Jamaica Hospital
Medical Center, located at 8900
Van Wyck Expressway, at a special
awards ceremony. Th e event
is the culmination of a relationship
that has grown over the
years between the NYPD and the
hospital relying on each other for
support.
“It’s not only our great privilege
to take care of police offi -
cers who become our patients,
but to also care for patients that
are also victims of crimes and
we frequently interact with the
police department here in providing
care for those patients,”
said Dr. Katherine McKenzie,
medical director of the Trauma
Department at Jamaica Hospital.
“We look forward to continuing
to work with them and this close
relationship that we have, and
continuing to provide the best
care for patients in Queens.”
A fi rst responder is defi ned as
someone designated or trained to
respond to an emergency. While
many individuals fi t this description,
some of the most vital to
the community are the brave
men and women of the New
York City Police Department.
Th e offi cers of the NYPD’s
Patrol Borough Queens South
respond to thousands of calls
each day that oft en involve situations
that require emergency
President and CEO of Jamaica Hospital Bruce Flanz (second from right) accepts
an appreciation plaque from Assistant Chief and new Commanding Offi cer of
NYPD Patrol Borough Queens South, Ruben Beltran.
medical care of Jamaica Hospital
Medical Center’s Trauma
Department. For example, in
October 2014, Police Offi cer
Kenneth Healey was attacked by
Photos by Carlotta Mohamed/QNS
an ax-wielding man in downtown
Jamaica. Healey sustained
severe head trauma and was
treated by the hospital’s trauma
team.
“I can tell you from working
a few blocks down every
single day, myself and my offi -
cers, we spend a large amount
of our day in Jamaica Hospital,
whether it’s dealing with victims
of crimes or dealing with cops
that are injured,” said NYPD 102
Precinct Deputy Inspector and
Commanding Offi cer, Courtney
Nilan. “I consider the Jamaica
Hospital staff a part of my precinct
as well because we work
hand in hand with them — from
the security guards to the nurses
to the administration. We’ve
always had a great working relationship.
As much as we help
them, they help us.”
Last year, Jamaica Hospital
honored the NYPD as well as
other fi rst responders in Queens
at the hospital’s annual fundraiser,
the Rainbow Ball, exemplifying
the NYPD’s and Jamaica
Hospital’s partnership as well as
their commitment to the Queens
community.
“I’ve been at Jamaica Hospital
now for 44 years and throughout
that entire time the collaboration
we’ve been doing with
the police department is just second
to none,” said Bruce Flanz,
president and CEO of Jamaica
Hospital. “Everybody, our entire
team is privileged to serve you
and what you do every day to
keep us all safe is just amazing
and words cannot adequately
thank you and your team. If we
can ever in some way help you, it
will truly be an honor.”
Assistant Chief and new
Commanding Offi cer of NYPD
Patrol Borough Queens South
Ruben Beltran said, “I look forward
to the challenge of reducing
crime and developing great
relationships, fi nding ways that
we can help you serve the community
and working together.”
Three dead after wrong-way crash on Grand Central Parkway
BY ZACHARY GEWELB
zgewelb@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Two men and a woman died
in a head-on, two-car collision
on the Grand Central Parkway
in Queens early Saturday morning.
The crash was apparently
caused by a vehicle traveling
the wrong way on the parkway’s
westbound lanes, according to
authorities.
Police said that two sedans —
a black 2011 Honda Accord and
a grey 2010 Hyundai — collided
at about 6 a.m. on Jan. 25 near
Exit 24 (Little Neck Parkway)
on the Douglaston/Glen Oaks
border.
An investigation determined
that the driver of the Honda
entered the westbound lanes of
the Parkway at Exit 24 against
traffi c and collided with the
Hyundai, which was traveling
westbound.
Offi cers arrived at the scene
and found the unidentifi ed male
driver of the Honda, along with
36-year-old front-seat passenger
Sayquan R. Hallums, unconscious
in the vehicle aft er the
crash.
Additionally, the offi cers discovered
the 26-year-old male
driver of the Hyundai, along
with 26-year-old front-seat
passenger Megan Ann Smith,
unconscious inside the vehicle.
EMS arrived and transported
the Hallums, Smith and the driver
of the Honda to North Shore
University Hospital Manhasset,
where they were pronounced
dead.
Th e driver of the Hyundai
was transported to Long Island
Jewish Medical Center in critical
condition.
Th e investigation is ongoing.
— Additional reporting by
Robert Pozarycki. Photo by Robert Stridiron
/WWW.QNS.COM
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