Today, Officer Craig Lehner’s family will lay him to rest as the community mourns with them. Nearly two weeks ago Officer Lehner died in a underwater recovery training accident. Craig Lehner joined the Buffalo Police nine years ago after multiple deployments to Iraq with Army National Guard.
Although Officer Lehner often served in harm’s way, not one worker goes to work expecting to get hurt, severely injured or to die on the job. Yet last year more than 5,000 workers died at work and tens of thousands more suffered debilitating injuries and illnesses. We are still unsure of the circumstances surrounding Officer Lehner’s death, but we know that many of the deaths that occur on the job are completely preventable.
Many families mourn in obscurity and face an uncertain future with limited support. It our hope that Officer Lehner’s family takes some solace from the outpouring from our community. Today all of Western New York understands the grief that one family is facing. It’s a grief that 13 families face everyday across the United States as loved ones don’t come home from work. The Western New York Council on Occupational Safety and Health are here to help. For more information on resources available to the families of workers killed on the job please visit our website at wnycosh.org/family
Rest in Peace Office Lehner.
Germain Harnden, Executive Director
on behalf of WNYCOSH
