 First Courage and Valor Foundation Dinner Held at FDIC By Diane Feldman  Presentation of Colors.   Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating presents Rosalie Downey with the first Ray Downey Courage and Valor Award. With the theme of "Remember Forever," Fire Engineering and parent company PennWell Corporation gave the first Ray Downey Courage and Valor Award to Ray's wife, Rosalie, at the Courage and Valor Foundation Dinner. The dinner was held at the Fire Department Instructors Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana, on April 13, 2002. The evening's emcee was local Indianapolis news anchor Anne Ryder.  (left to right)Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating; Rosalie Downey and family; Robert F. Biolchini, PennWell Chief Executive Officer and President The award commemorates the life and career achievements of Deputy Chief Ray Downey, chief of rescue operations and 39-year veteran of the Fire Department of New York, who was killed while commanding rescue operations at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. He was the most highly decorated firefighter in the history of FDNY.
who we lost throughout the course of 2001 who are being honored here this evening, but still we can say 'Thank you' and we can shine a spotlight on their courage and their valor and send a clear message to the American people that our freedom and our safety come at a high price, and we must always remember that." Governor Frank Keating of Oklahoma met Ray Downey when Downey commanded the rescue efforts at the Oklahoma City Bombing. He offered this praise: "Ray was a hugely successful human being …. There is not a more glorious group of Americans, more courageous and more good, than the fire service, and there is not a finer human being in paradise than Ray Downey …. We want to send the message to Ray Downey that we are proud, everlastingly proud of him and all he has done for us."  Bill Manning, editor in chief/associate publisher of Fire Engineering Bill Manning, editor in chief/associate publisher of Fire Engineering, told of Downey's impact on the fire service: "No one in fire service history has had a greater impact on our approaches and thinking toward rescue operations than Deputy Chief Ray Downey …. He was by all accounts a fireman's fireman …. Ray always said with respect to the 'Big One' that it's not a question of 'if' but 'when,' and it's bitterly ironic that Ray, my hero, was taken from us in the World Trade Center collapse."  Father Frank Kilcline Manning continued: "It was during his time as the leader of the USAR task forces that the nation and the world began to see the extraordinary command and leadership capabilities that the firefighters in New York City had long known, and truly in this regard there was no other like him. Ray, you belong to a world of firefighters, not just a city; you were and still are an enduring light that spreads out over the entire fire service. You are one of the greatest men we have ever known, truly a legend in your own time, and we were so lucky to be a part of your greatness." The Foundation was created to ensure the world remembers forever the sacrifices heroic FDNY members made on September 11 and, in their memory, will recognize other firefighters who demonstrate similar acts of courage and valor.
 Chief Louis Dezelan, Indianapolis Fire Department Among the many supporters of the Foundation and the dinner are Hale Companies, Kidde Fire Fighting, and the International Association of Fire Fighters.  Superintendent Melvin Carraway, Indiana State Police  (left to right) Bill McGowan, Indianapolis Convention Center and Visitors Association; Robert F. Biolchini, PennWell Corporation; Susie Townsend, Indianapolis Convention Center and Visitors Association; Chief Louis Dezelan, Indianapolis Fire Department. Sponsors  
 
 Thank you to all our sponsors! More pictures from the evening. 
 Diane Feldman and Tom Brennan  Anne Ryder, Bill Manning and Lyle Hoyt  Francie Halcomb with the Downeys  Martin Grube and Mark Sulcov            |
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