  Dr. Renae Gerard 
911 CREATOR LIVES AMONG DENISON RESIDENTS
By Don Munsch, Herald staff writer While scores of TV viewers take in "Rescue 911" every Tuesday night, few may realize that the concept of 911 service began here in Denison. Dr. Rene Gerard, a retired Denison doctor, created the concept of the service - an idea that originated when he was stranded in Canada in the 1960s. "We were driving through an area, and I hit a deer...actually, it hit me," Gerard remembers. " He knocked out a headlight in my car. So I stopped at a gas station to get help." A Canadian Mountie informed Gerard that his hitting a deer would cost him a fine (which was later dropped due to circumstances). But Gerard had other things on his mind at that moment. "I got to thinking that if I had needed a phone or something like that, where would've I gotten that help?" he said. Gerard came home and ran his idea past the telephone company. His plan was to produce a simple number people could easily remember to call when an emergency arises, especially when they are on a remote location or highway. A phone company representative told Gerard that his idea was a salient one - transmitting calls would prove to be a relatively painless obstacle, as circuitry adaptions would be easy to manipulate - but it would require a 3-digit protocol. The number 911 was selected because of its name recognition similarity to the 7-11 convenience store - which Gerard said was an easy name for people to remember. However, according to Gerard, his idea was not accepted by some - especially by the phone company (financial considerations) and funeral homes (who ran t he ambulance services). "The police department and the fire department like the idea though," he said. But most people were initially skeptical. "I talked to just about everyone you could think of," he said. "They thought I was a nut." In fact, it wasn't until 1973 that Gerard's idea was proposed nationally to the American Medical Association (AMA). That same year, an announcement from the Oval Office encouraged support of emergency number/911 services, but Congress did not announce 911 Emergency Number Day until September 11, 1986. (The initial 911 call, though, according to Bill Stanton of the National Emergency Number Association in Coshocton, Ohio, was staged in 1968 by Alabama Senator Rankin Fite.) Initially Gerard took his concept to the Grayson County Medical Society - where he was a past president - and asked it to endorse a single nationwide emergency number: 911. After it was adopted by the Grayson organization, it was then presented to the Texas Medical Association. After its adoption there, it was then passed along to the AMA - where it passed, of course. Gerard said his sole intention with the 911 service was to save lives. "I just wanted to help people, that's all," he said. He said he is happy the TV show has helped people as well....  Dr. Rene Gerard Clinic 509 South Mirick Avenue Denison, Texas Now the offices of Dr. Eva Renee Gerard Smith, DDS  Herald Democrat
September 17, 2014 by Jonathan Cannon DISD Announces $1 M Donation from Eva Gerard Gerard Field at Munson Stadium - that will be the new designation for the Denison Independent School District's stadium in downtown Denison after the district announced Wednesday that Eva Gerard Baker has donated $1 million to help fund renovations to the stadium. The donation is in memory of Gerard Baker's last husband Dr. Rene Gerard, who died in 2000. He was physician in Denison and involved in the community for more than half a century. "It's just another way to help Denison," said Mrs. Baker, who is now remarried to Eyvan Baker. Denison ISD Superintendent Henry Scott said Mrs. Baker has long been dedicated to community and the district, working in the concession stand as a volunteer to raise money to benefit the district. He said when she contacted the administration about making the donation, "her words were this, 'I want to help kids." Mrs. Baker's donation, along with a $1 million commitment from the Munson Foundation, other donations and a commitment of $3 million of district money, will fund a major overhaul of the stadium. The original plants called for the district to replace the home stands, construct a new field house, press box, concessions stand, entry and new restrooms, and make all the facilities handicap accessible. The replacement of the stands is driven by a number of engineering studies that have been shown the stands to have structural issues and will be unsafe for use after next year's football season. As for the other elements to be replaced, some date back to the 1930s and no longer meet the district's needs. The district kicked off the campaign in December to raise the final $1 million needed to complete the estimated $5 million project. Superintendent Henry Scott admitted to a crowd gathered at the stadium entrance that he had doubts about the district's ability to raise the $1 million. However, with Mrs. Baker's donation, the district has already exceeded its goal by almost $4000,000. "Only in Denison, Texas, can we made the announcement that we made in December and four or five months later comeback and say that the goal has been met," said Denison Mayor Jared Johnson. Scott said the extra funds will be used to make additional improvements to the stadium, starting with upgrades to the lighting and visitors stands, which were not included in the original project. "We've got to ask ourselves, why did people get around this project? Is it about five football games in the fall? Is it because the marching band might jump on it or a soccer team or a graduation or a Rachelle's Challenge (Rally) or even a fireworks show?" Johnson said, "I would say that's probably not it, although some givers are passionate about some of these items. I would say that those individual events are not what this stadium's about. I would say that this stadium is about moving Denison forward and us as a community wanting to be behind that." In addition to the improvements being funded by the donations and district funds, Scott said, he also plants to recommend to the Denison School Board that the district replace the turf on the field when the other construction begins after next year's fall season. He said the surface is 10 years old and at the end of its useful life. "We might as well get it all done at one time," Scott said in an interview. Former Denison Mayor Robert Brady, who is co-chair of the fund raising committee for the stadium renovations, said the district still plans to sell commemorative bricks to line the entrance of the stadium. Scott said any addition funds that are raised will continue to be put into improvements at the stadium. "We're very blessed in this community to have people that care and come together to make a project like this happen," Brady said.  Biography Index Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson County TXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |