Empire State Building To Flash Red And White Siren Each Night To Honor Healthcare Workers

Apr 01, 2020 by apost team

As confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus continue to rise in New York City area, the Empire State Building’s owner Anthony E. Malkin says he aims to turn the iconic skyscraper into an international symbol to honor healthcare workers by flashing a nightly red and white light from atop the building, starting March 30.

On Thursday, The New York Times reported that the state of New York has more than 70,000 confirmed cases of the virus, by far the highest number of cases in any U.S. state. In light of the public health emergency that is emperilling New York’s health system, the Empire State Building’s Twitter account announced that the skyscraper’s signature flashing white light would be replaced by a red and white siren in a tribute to the city and its healthcare workers on the front lines of the fight against the deadly virus. “We’ll never stop shining for you,” the message began.

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“Starting tonight through the COVID-19 battle, our signature white lights will be replaced by the heartbeat of America with a white and red siren in the mast for heroic emergency workers on the front line of the fight,” the post read.

The official Twitter account added that each night at 9 p.m. the lights will also sync up with New York City’s unofficial anthem: Alicia Keys’ Empire State of Mind, which will play on New York City’s Z100 radio station simulatenously. 

“The Empire State Building is an international symbol of dreams and struggles overcome,” Anthony E. Malkin, chairman and CEO of Empire State Realty Trust, the building’s owner, told NBC News. “Tonight, and every night in this struggle, she is a beacon to remind us we are all in this together, and we will come out of this together."

In an act of nationwide solidarity, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Wednesday that more than 500 paramedics and emergency medical workers, 2,000 nurses and 250 ambulances will head to the city, the country’s virus epicenter, from across the U.S. to further bolster what has already become an overburdened healthcare system, according to The Times. Despite the dire circumstances, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced some good news earlier this  week. While hospitals remain overrun, more than 4,200 patients were able to be discharged and hospitalization rates began to taper off as of Tuesday, according to The Times.

As people across the planet come together to combat the health crisis, the Empire State Building joined in what has become a global effort to thank healthcare workers. In the U.K., for example, millions of Britons came together to “clap for carers” last week. In an interview with The Guardian, the creator of the Clap For Our Carers campaign, Annemarie Plas, said that she was “so grateful” to see her idea spread across the nation on Thursday. The Dutch citizen, who lives in south London, said she was inspired to start the campaign after seeing footage of similar efforts to thank healthcare workers in France and Spain, according to The Guardian.

The World Health Organization recommends that people everywhere follow basic hygiene guidelines, like washing one’s hands frequently and covering one’s cough with a bent elbow, in order to slow the spread of the respiratory illness. Above all, it’s to reduce one’s contact with other people by staying home. When going to the grocery store or leaving the house, it’s important to keep distance from others. For more information, visit the World Health Organization or the Center For Disease Control online.

What do you think about the Empire State Building's new colors? How has your community shown its support for healthcare workers? Let us know and pass this on to friends and family members.