S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  5346

                       2009-2010 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                             April 27, 2009
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen. LEIBELL -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Veterans, Homeland Securi-
  ty and Military Affairs

AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to the  establishment  of
  the  disaster preparedness first responder recognition program and the
  honoring of certain retired firefighters who were killed at the  World
  Trade Center on September 11, 2001

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Legislative declarations.  The legislature hereby finds and
determines that there should  be  established  a  disaster  preparedness
first  responder  recognition program to honor those brave men and women
who have given their lives as part of a disaster preparedness  or  first
response situation, in an effort to help, save and care for their fellow
man.
  The  legislature  hereby  further  finds  and  declares  that James J.
Corrigan, William Wren, and Phillip T. Hayes, were retired New York city
firefighters at the time of the September 11, 2001 attack on  the  World
Trade  Center  Complex  in  the  state  and  city of New York. That such
retired firefighters, James J. Corrigan, William Wren,  and  Phillip  T.
Hayes,  were  at  the  scene of such September 11, 2001 attack, and with
great heroism, courage and dedication to their community and fellow man,
and without concern for themselves or their own personal safety or  well
being,  such  retired  firefighters James J. Corrigan, William Wren, and
Phillip T. Hayes bravely assisted the rescue and firefighting efforts at
the World Trade Center, and in so doing, gave their lives in the  furth-
erance of such noble and benevolent efforts.
  The legislature further hereby finds and declares, that the courageous
public service of James J. Corrigan, William Wren, and Phillip T. Hayes,
evidenced  by  their  commitment to, and concern for, their state, their
city and their fellow citizens, over and  above  any  risk  or  personal

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD10267-01-9
              

S. 5346                             2

peril  they  faced, as well as making the ultimate sacrifice as a result
of such service, demonstrates that these men and their  surviving  fami-
lies  are  deserving of the highest recognition, appreciation, honor and
gratitude that their state, their city, and their community can provide.
  S 2. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 29-h to read
as follows:
  S 29-H. DISASTER PREPAREDNESS FIRST RESPONDER RECOGNITION PROGRAM.  1.
THERE IS HEREBY CREATED A DISASTER PREPAREDNESS FIRST RESPONDER RECOGNI-
TION  PROGRAM. THE PURPOSE OF SUCH PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE RECOGNITION AND
HONOR TO THOSE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES AS PART OF
A DISASTER PREPAREDNESS OR FIRST RESPONSE SITUATION,  IN  AN  EFFORT  TO
HELP,  SAVE  AND CARE FOR THEIR FELLOW MAN. THE PROGRAM SHALL BE MANAGED
AND MAINTAINED JOINTLY BY THE OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND THE  STATE
EMERGENCY  MANAGEMENT  OFFICE. EACH YEAR, IN COORDINATION WITH THE STAFF
AT THE OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND THE  STATE  EMERGENCY  MANAGEMENT
OFFICE,  THE  PROGRAM  SHALL HONOR THREE INDIVIDUALS FROM NEW YORK STATE
WHO DESERVE RECOGNITION AND HONOR FOR THEIR EFFORTS.
  2. THERE SHALL BE THREE INITIAL HONOREES OF THE DISASTER  PREPAREDNESS
FIRST  RESPONDER  RECOGNITION  PROGRAM.  SUCH  INITIAL HONOREES SHALL BE
JAMES J. CORRIGAN, WILLIAM WREN, AND PHILLIP  T.  HAYES.  SUCH  HONORING
SHALL  BE  IN  RECOGNITION  OF  SUCH RETIRED FIREFIGHTERS WHO LOST THEIR
LIVES AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001. AS PART OF  THEIR
STATUS  AS INITIAL HONOREES BY THE DISASTER PREPAREDNESS FIRST RESPONDER
RECOGNITION PROGRAM,  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY  PROVISION  OF  ANY  GENERAL,
SPECIAL,  OR  LOCAL LAW TO THE CONTRARY, THE STATE OF NEW YORK, THE CITY
OF NEW YORK AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OF  THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK,  SHALL
BESTOW,  AWARD  AND PROVIDE JAMES J. CORRIGAN, WILLIAM WREN, AND PHILLIP
T. HAYES, AND THEIR FAMILIES, WITH ALL  THE  BENEFITS,  HONORS,  MERITS,
CEREMONIES,  RECOGNITIONS, AWARDS AND STATUS PROVIDED TO ANY OTHER FIRE-
FIGHTER WHO PERISHED AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER ON  SEPTEMBER  11,  2001,
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
  A.  POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDING JAMES J. CORRIGAN, WILLIAM WREN, AND PHILLIP
T. HAYES THE MEDAL OF VALOR AND THE SPECIAL WORLD TRADE CENTER MEDAL  OF
VALOR  AND PRESENTING THE SAME TO THE FAMILIES OF SUCH MEN AT A CEREMONY
HELD IN THEIR HONOR;
  B. ADDING THE NAMES OF JAMES J. CORRIGAN, WILLIAM WREN, AND PHILLIP T.
HAYES TO ALL MONUMENTS, MEMORIALS AND TRIBUTES HONORING THE BRAVE  FIRE-
FIGHTERS  FROM  THE  CITY  OF NEW YORK WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE WORLD
TRADE CENTER ON SEPTEMBER 11,  2001,  INCLUDING  BUT  NOT  EXCLUSIVE  OF
ADDING  THEIR  NAMES  TO THE WALL OF HONOR AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OF THE
CITY OF NEW YORK'S HEADQUARTERS;
  C. POSTHUMOUSLY RETIRING THE BADGES  OF  JAMES  J.  CORRIGAN,  WILLIAM
WREN, AND PHILLIP T. HAYES;
  D. ESTABLISHING A PICTURE MEMORIAL TO JAMES J. CORRIGAN, WILLIAM WREN,
AND  PHILLIP  T.  HAYES  IN THE FIREHOUSE IN WHICH EACH SUCH FIREFIGHTER
LAST SERVED, COMMEMORATING SUCH FIREFIGHTERS' SERVICE AND  ACKNOWLEDGING
THEIR SACRIFICE AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001;
  E. ESTABLISHING A PICTURE MEMORIAL TO JAMES J. CORRIGAN, WILLIAM WREN,
AND  PHILLIP  T.  HAYES IN THE OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND THE STATE
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE, COMMEMORATING  SUCH  FIREFIGHTERS'  SERVICE
AND ACKNOWLEDGING THEIR SACRIFICE AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER ON SEPTEMBER
11, 2001.
  S  3. This act shall take effect immediately; provided that the recog-
nition activities required by section two of this act shall be completed
on or before the ninetieth day from the date upon which this  act  shall
have become a law.