SAN JOSE — “Thank you’s” were volleyed back and forth between first responders, over a hundred from different departments throughout the region, and the healthcare workers coming and going at the afternoon shift change at the Regional Medical Center emergency room entrance.
“Make way, hero coming through,” yelled a Santa Clara County Sheriff’s deputy.
First responders waved, thanked, cheered, or gave thumbs up to healthcare workers.
“We’re here to honor our true first line workers and our true heroes here,” San Jose Police Chief Eddie Garcia said. “This isn’t just about COVID-19 to be honest with you, every week we should be doing this.”
Along with the San Jose Police Department, on site were deputies and officers from the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office and California Highway Patrol; police from Milpitas, Los Gatos and Monte Sereno, Milpitas, Campbell, and Santa Clara; and personnel from Santa Clara County EMS, , the volunteer Santa Clara Valley Fire Associates, Rural/Metro Ambulance.
State Assemblyman and former San Jose city councilmember Kansen Chu and Sheriff Laurie Smith were among those in attendance. The emergency-room area was lined by emergency vehicles, cars, SUV’s, motorcycles and even an armored vehicle to secure an impromptu parade route for healthcare workers.
“I know personally we’ve had hundreds of officers who’ve been taken care of by individuals at this facility,” Garcia said. “We’ve had our fallen in ruins in the facility and they’ve seen us grieve.”
“Our community doesn’t realize the amount of victims of our crimes that have been saved by individuals in this building,” he added, “so it’s the least we can do is to come out to honor them as they’re working hard to help us on the front lines.”