Five first responders from around the country were honored with the Heroes of Award Honor from the First Responders Children’s Foundation in Times Square Tuesday for bravery displayed while saving lives. The ceremony is part of what the organization calls National First Responders Day.

The organization supports children of first responders who’ve fallen on hard times.

Recipients of the award include veterans of the New York City Department of Correction and the FDNY.

What You Need To Know

  • Five first responders from around the country were honored with the Heroes of Award Honor from the First Responders Children's Foundation in Times Square Tuesday for bravery displayed while saving lives

  • Recipients of the award include veterans of the New York City Department of Correction and the FDNY

  • The ceremony is part of what the organization calls National First Responders Day

One of the emergencies highlighted during Tuesday’s ceremony involved a car that overturned the car on Sept. 20 on the Grand Central Parkway near Rikers Island.

The driver of the car is alive in part because of the actions of Correction Officer Rachelle Jones, who spotted the vehicle flipped on its side while driving home from her shift at Rikers Island.

“She saw a car crash, car turn over,” Department of Correction Commissioner Louis Molina, who explained how Jones was assisted by her quick thinking colleagues, said. “Officers Persuad and Westi happened to be on duty driving to Queens Court, and went to the aid of that vehicle and assisted Officer Jones.”

“The traffic was just horrendous,” Officer Raishamraj Persaud said. “We had to do something to get in there and stop the traffic until the fire department came.”

Another New York City honoree, 24-year FDNY veteran, Leiutenant Paramedic Miguel Flores began his career responding to the attacks on Sept. 11, and now teaches fire safety to children.

Some of his students happened to live in the Twin Parks apartments when the building caught fire on Jan. 2022. They were able to use the skills Flores taught them to lead their families to safety.

The fire ultimately killed 17 people, including eight children.

“The kids were able to come back to the school and say hey, remember what Lt. Flores was able to do and teach us to do and to get out of a smoke filled room,” Flores said. “They were able to save not only their lives but their families’ lives.”

The First Responders Children’s Foundation was started after the Sept. 11 attacks when around 800 children lost a first responder parent.

Today, the organization continues helping children of first responders when hardship or tragedy strikes through scholarships, financial hardship grants, and other forms of support.