New York historians and archivists are requesting that Henry Schein, Inc. provide them with copies of company memos, directives, manifests and samples of hospital supplies that will help them to capture for posterity the Company's response to the terrorist attack that brought down the World Trade Center.
The effort is part of a sweeping move by Friends for Long Island's Heritage to preserve how individuals and corporations moved decisively following one of the most devastating attacks ever launched against America. The effort is unprecedented and is expected to become a national model for communities across the United States.
Stanley Bergman, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Henry Schein, stated, "Our company stands proudly among the ranks of those who did what they could to assist in the rescue of New York. The idea of preserving such items as the manifest from our first supply truck into Manhattan to the memo we sent to Team Schein Members hours after the tragedy, is a meaningful attempt at giving history a personal understanding of what occurred in this nation on September 11th. We look forward to working with Friends for Long Island Heritage as we seek to not only preserve our own record of participation but communities throughout Long Island where courage and sacrifice has become a common quality."
New York's largest medical supply company, Henry Schein, activated an emergency response plan that had the Company trucking in IV's, masks, surgical gowns, gloves and more within two hours of the Trade Center horror. Met at the Lincoln Tunnel by police escort, Henry Schein supplies were rushed to Manhattan hospitals and on to Ground Zero.
Friends president, Gerald Kessler, stated, "While historians can offer sweeping essays on shattering events such as Gettysburg and Pearl Harbor it is the personal notes and contemporary observations that give us insight into what we felt and how we responded to these trials. The September 11 tragedy and the activity that followed will be studied for hundreds of years. Unless we act now to capture records from Henry Schein, and similar companies and individuals, our society's inclination to clean our desks and delete our files will hobble the ability of future generations to understand the pain and the heroism."
The effort is being supported by Hofstra University whose professional archivist maintains its historical collections in an appropriate environment. Hofstra's Long Island Studies Institute houses the most in depth collection of historical information pertaining to life on Long Island found anywhere. The archives include many photographic collections, hundreds of regional newspaper files, print and other important information.
Kessler says the decision by Henry Schein to cooperate with their request will help create a national model of how companies and individuals can preserve American history for future generations. He stated, "This attack is a story of murder but it is also a story of altruism, patriotism and compassion. One hundred years from now the efforts of Henry Schein will remain part of that story."
