Bernadine Healy, MD

For more than a year, she oversaw the development of a weapons of mass destruction (WMD) planning process, and then, unexpectedly, led the response of the American Red Cross to the 9/11 events, mobilizing volunteers, blood and financial support for the range of services triggered by the President's activation of the Federal Response Plan. These efforts included recovery and response work in New York, in Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon, the creation of an unheralded $200-million family grant program for victims' families, grieving and healing programs in chapters throughout the country, an international response for the families of foreign nationals caught in the disaster, expansion of the armed forces emergency preparedness activities for deployed military, reservists and their families and the initiation of a strategic blood reserve from "extra" blood collections. Dr. Healy activated plans for nation-wide volunteer expansion and WMD training and preparedness, including plans for recruiting and training a medically based "Mercy Battalion" to assist federal and local officials with quarantines, hospital overflow, vaccinations and pharmaceutical stockpile distribution. To assure transparency and accountability, Dr. Healy established a separately designated Liberty Fund to be used exclusively for terrorist-related response and readiness for 9/11 and its aftermath including future threats and attacks, obligations mandated by federal charter.