Contact: Colleen Roche or Dwight Williams (212) 788-2958
The next bill, Introductory Number 934, sponsored by Council Members Fossella, Eisland, Fusco and Ognibene, would name an existing playground, located at the northeast corner of the intersection of Edith Avenue and Irvington Street and adjacent to IS 7, Staten Island as "EMT Christopher J. Prescott Playground."
Christopher J. Prescott was born in February 1972 on Staten Island and attended PS 5, the Bernstein Intermediate School, St. Joseph by-the-Sea High School and the College of Staten Island. He was a parishioner of Holy Child Roman Catholic Church in the Eltingville section of Staten Island.
In 1993, Christopher J. Prescott joined the New York City Emergency Medical Service (EMS) and was assigned to Station 34 in Brooklyn. During his first year, he did outstanding work and was named the EMS "Rookie of the Year."
On June 17, 1994 around 1:30 a.m., Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Prescott and his co-worker, EMT Carol Buffa, were attending to the victims of a car accident in the intersection of Eastern Parkway and Utica Avenue when a jeep driven by a drunken driver entered the intersection and smashed into one of the cars involved in the previous accident. The force of the collision drove that car into the EMS ambulance and crushed EMT Prescott and EMT Buffa. Three hours later, EMT Prescott was pronounced dead at Kings County Hospital, and his co-worker was in critical condition.
Chris Prescott stood for everything that marks the Emergency Medical Service as a worthy profession and a worthy career. He was compassionate, skilled and dedicated to public service.
Due to his heroic sacrifice in the line of duty in EMS, it is fitting to name an existing playground, located at the northeast corner of the intersection of Edith Avenue and Irvington Street, and adjacent to IS 7, as "EMT Christopher J. Prescott Playground."
I will first turn to the bill's sponsors and then to any other elected official wishing to be heard.
There being no one else to be heard, and for the reasons stated previously, I will now sign this bill.