[1]
The sounds of blaring sirens and spinning helicopter rotors, and the sights of flashing lights and multiple emergency vehicles would surely garner attention. And that’s the point. “Hero-to-Hero” appreciation events, in which first responders and frontline health care providers show their mutual support, have rolled to every Kaiser Permanente Southern California medical center and flown over many.
These great morale-boosting events began as small, spontaneous shows of thanks, and now draw hundreds. As caravans of first responders roll through the city streets on the way to our hospitals, neighbors come out to wave and show their gratitude. And when the local fire fighters, police, sheriffs, port police, SWAT teams, Highway Patrol, and elected officials arrive, they are greeted by crowds of KPSC employees and physicians, awed by the inspiring expressions of gratitude and recognition – and sending it right back.
The resulting ripple effect of support raises all our spirits, and further roots us in our united dedication to care for the people of our communities.
Monica Hall, battalion chief, Los Angeles Fire Department, put it perfectly: “The fire department wants to thank you for all that you are doing. We see you, we know what you are doing, and we are so proud to be in partnership with you.”
It most definitely goes both ways. Our people see you too, when they take a few minutes out of their busy days to gather outside their hospitals, they applaud, wave, take videos, and show off home-made signs – all with PPE in place. Behind every one of those masks is a huge grin, and there’s no doubt that a tear or three have been shed. We can’t guarantee you won’t join them.
Thank you to our local communities for these wonderful expressions of gratitude for our KPSC family. We truly are all in this together.