Spending the better part of the day in the neighborhoods of Bushwick and Bedford Stuyvesant allowed me to visit 3 Precincts and 5 Firehouses. A mid-day rain was a welcome relief to some of the recent hot days.
79th Precinct Sergeant came over from her desk to express her support. She is making copies to hang throughout her Precinct.
Detective Jenkins, head of Community Affairs at the 81st Precinct had me to his offices to talk about the impact of my ride. He is posting my flyer announcing the details in the muster room where the officers get their daily briefings.
The visits to all the Firehouses made it clear to me that Firefighters have a quiet pride, a true sign of Heroes.

On this hot humid day on the Upper West Side of New York City, I came across Ladder 25 and its crew. Peter and 6 of his crew were on lunch break waiting for their mechanic to show up. Peter and I talked a bit about The Kindness Bicycle Ride for Heroes. It was during this conversation that I noticed all their gear.
Firefighters wear protective gear, which can weigh as much as sixty pounds. Safety gear commonly includes thick pants and a jacket known as “Bunker Gear,” a helmet, mask, and a breathing apparatus. The tools and portable water packs firefighters use when fighting various types of fire add to both the protection and weight a firefighter must pack while fighting a fire, or performing in an emergency rescue situation. With the heat from the weather combined with the heat of fires and having to perform strenuous acts with all this weight and clothing, it’s no wonder these guys should be known as Heroes.

Visiting 43 Police Precincts since arriving in New York City, one thing is certain, these Heroes are busy beyond belief. Whether they are out on patrol or back at the Precinct, they have their hands full every minute of the day. I am thankful for the time they take to meet with me when I show up unannounced.
I could tell when I met Officer Wilson at the NYPD 69th Precinct, she is a dedicated individual. She serves as the Precinct’s Youth Officer. In addition to working closely with juveniles in Canarsie, Brooklyn, Officer Wilson volunteers her off-duty time to handicapped and blind children, as well as to various homeless and senior services, including safe escort to banks for the elderly. Officer Wilson began her career as a civilian member of the service.
Tim, a Firefighter at the Rogers Street Firehouse was a big help in making sure all my needs were met while out on the road today. Thank you to everyone for their kind words and assistance.

Perfect weather with light overcast skies allowed me to ride from nearly sunrise to sunset. It sure was nice to get a break from the full sun and I made the best of it. I visited seven Firehouses and two Police Precincts.
I am always made to feel like a minor celebrity when I show up at these Firehouses. Several of them already have the flyer I deliver when I pay my visit. One of the men at one of the Firehouses has been faxing it around. Thank you to whoever that may be.
Community Affairs Police Officer Thybulle of the 67th Precinct took the time out of his busy day to meet with me as he was preparing for his Precinct’s “National Night Out Against Crime” event.
This evening I made my way across the Brooklyn Bridge to two of their “Night Out” affairs. They were well attended, with a great mix of community and law enforcement.
I love The Kindness Bicycle Ride for Heroes!

The location The Kindness Bus is parked, near the Natural History Museum in Manhattan, requires that it be moved for the street sweeper. Today was that day. With that done, and the rest of my afternoon free, I thought the best use of time was to visit the Firemen’s Memorial. This nearly century old structure is set on a hillside just east of the Hudson River. It is a beautiful setting for this monument.
Once a year, in October, a ceremony is held to honor those Firefighters who have died in the line of duty during the previous twelve months. On visiting here today, I have decided to attend this sacred ceremony.

Nearly 1,000 participants showed up on this hot and humid Sunday morning to honor NYPD Hero, Sergeant Keith Ferguson. His mom, Sonia, was in attendance and was thrilled that I stopped by to honor her son.
The NYPD Running Club put together this 8th annual 5K walk/run. Which raises money for scholarships for individuals.
48th Precinct Sergeant, Jose Benitez breezed to victory. He and I talked afterward and he invited me for a visit to his Precinct in a few weeks. Also in attendance was an enthusiastic group of women from Men & Women Who Workout. They cheered for me when I met them and I returned the favor as they crossed the finish line.
Sergeant Ferguson was on patrol in lower Manhattan in January 2004 as part of the NYPD anti-terrorism unit when he heard a foot patrol officer calling for assistance. The officer was chasing a suspect who he had attempted to arrest. Sergeant Ferguson was responding to the scene when his vehicle got stuck in heavy traffic. Sergeant Ferguson exited his vehicle and began to run to the location where the officer needed assistance. When Sergeant Ferguson arrived on the corner of Broadway and Grand Street, with several other officers who had responded to the call, he collapsed on the trunk of a vehicle.
We need to always remember Heroes like Sergeant Ferguson and the sacrifices made to protect our liberties and freedom.

New York City streets free of traffic? Today and for the next two Saturdays, many streets are closed to vehicle traffic, making this city a bicyclist’s dream.
New York City’s streets are open for everyone to play, run, walk and bike. From the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park, along Park Avenue and connecting streets you can rock climb at Spring Street, receive a free bike helmet at 51st Street, soar through the air on a zip line at Foley Square or just stroll along and experience the city’s streets in a new way—all for free. I took advantage of this and talked with hundreds of people and had The Kindness Bicycle viewed by thousands. I am often times asked about Bogart and where he is. I can assure you he is being well cared for in Cleveland, Ohio, as attested to, by today’s photo.