
NYPD members bring gratitude, lunch to Lake Success healthcare workers

Members of the NYPD brought their gratitude — and lunch — to Long Island healthcare workers on the frontlines of the coronavirus crisis Wednesday.
Det. John Hourican of the Detectives Endowment Association led a group of police officers to the ProHealth coronavirus testing site in Lake Success to thank the staff for providing free coronavirus testing to cops.
“People appreciate their work, just like they appreciate the work we are doing,” said Hourican, who brought enough food to feed the 15 staffers at the Lake Success facility for several days.
The NYPD has been hit hard by the pandemic. Twenty-five uniformed officers and civilian employees have died from coronavirus complications and more than 2,200 cops have been diagnosed with the virus.
Ebony Williams, a ProHealth clinical manager at the Lake Success testing site, said it was important for police and other first responders to know they are not bringing the risks of their jobs home with them.
“We have been providing testing, so that way they can have piece of mind to go home and be with their families,” Williams said.
Dr. Cory Baker, the manager of the testing site, said it was nice for his staff to be recognized by police.
“It is obviously very heartfelt, it is very warm and it is appreciated,” Baker said.
The ProHealth testing site in Lake Success is one of eight walk-through or drive-thru testing centers the network is operating on Long Island and in New York. The network is also operating testing facilities in Jericho, Riverhead, Wantagh and Little Neck.
ProHealth, Northwell Health and Montefiore Health agreed to team up with the NYPD to provide testing to police officers earlier this month. All three health systems agreed to waive cops’ copays for the tests.
Williams said the gesture by Hourican and his colleagues was greatly appreciated.
“We appreciate them for the level of support that they are giving, and even just bringing lunch,” Williams said. “It’s the little things that count. We are all in this together.”