CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM Gov. Linda Lingle, EMS Assistant Chief of Operations Donnie Gates, Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona and Maui fire Capt. Mark Paranada chatted yesterday after a press conference held at the state Capitol. Gates and Paranada were selected out of eight statewide nominees to represent Hawaii in New York City's fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

2 from isles to bring aloha to NYC

The safety agency veterans will travel to New York for a 9/11 anniversary luncheon

Two Hawaii veterans from public safety agencies will represent the state in the fifth-anniversary remembrance of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, in New York City next week.

EMS Assistant Chief of Operations Donnie Gates, a 40-year veteran, and Maui fire Capt. Mark Paranada, a 31-year veteran of the department, will join other emergency services workers from every state at a special luncheon hosted by New York Gov. George Pataki on Sunday, the eve of the anniversary.

The luncheon is a special tribute to America's first responders and will be held in the new 7 World Trade Center building. The New York City Fire Department lost 343 firefighters who responded to the WTC attacks; the New York City Police Department lost 23 officers; and the Port Authority lost 37 police officers.

Both men said they will do their best to represent Hawaii.

"Definitely I'll be wearing my lei there," Paranada said. "You hear about the East Coast attitude when you're there, but If you go there portraying a sense of aloha, I think they'll pick it up right away."

Gates said he will be as friendly and outgoing as he is every day, "and show sincere sadness and sorrow for what happened that day."

Gov. Linda Lingle chose Gates and Paranada from a list of nominees from the four county fire and police departments, the state Emergency Medical Services branch and state firefighters.

After receiving the invitation from Pataki on Aug. 22, Lingle contacted the chiefs of the state's emergency services and asked each of them to submit a one-page narrative with their nominees. Three of her staff members served as a selection committee to make their recommendations.

Three people from Hawaii -- Maile Hale, Heather Ho and Richard Lee -- died when terrorists crashed commercial jets into the twin World Trade Center towers Sept. 11, 2001. Two others from Hawaii, Georgine Rose Corrigan and Christine Snyder, died when terrorists crashed their United Airlines Flight 93 near Pittsburgh.