A few day after the Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center, Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy went down to Ground Zero, where she observed workers, her nephew included, without gas masks to protect themselves from potentially harmful fumes. Because of the exposure to fumes workers have endured at Ground Zero, there would eventually be some long-term effects of working at the disaster site, the Congresswoman believes.

Perhaps one thing the terrorist attacks have proved is that a community can never be too prepared. Even local communities should have some measure of protection and Congresswoman McCarthy and Pfizer, a developer, manufacturer and marketer of prescription medication, joined together to provide the Mineola Volunteer Ambulance Corps (MVAC) with gas masks to be used in emergency cases.

"This is a fight for us to be in together," McCarthy said, referring to the need to join together to not only increase security, but also for protection.

The Pfizer Corporation, through a program, is helping to fund communities with protective means such as, in the case of Mineola, respiratory masks for the MVAC. Pfizer presented the MVAC with a check for $3,500, which will purchase 25 masks.

The money came to the MVAC at the urging of Congresswoman McCarthy, who received a letter from the ambulance corps asking for funding for the protective masks.

Since the MVAC is a not-for-profit organization and has only a $41,000 budget from the Village of Mineola, it relies on donations for some of its funding.

Not more than a week after receiving the letter from the MVAC, McCarthy met with a representative from Pfizer who agreed to send some money to Mineola at the Congresswoman's suggestion. "You couldn't have asked for better timing," McCarthy said.

Even with the Congresswoman's stance on the need for lower cost prescription drugs, this time she was praising a drug manufacturer for contributing to homeland security and protection. "For Pfizer to come out and help is terrific," she said.

MVAC President Patrick Tobin gladly accepted the check from Heather Mullen, vice president of public affairs for Pfizer. "The masks will be used in the most efficient and effective way," he said.

MVAC member Tom Devaney explained that the masks, with an eight-hour filter, can be used during MVAC rescue efforts during which there may be some environmental concerns.

The MVAC is known in the community for its efficiency. In 2001, the organization responded to 1,260 calls.