|
Knights honor
police officer, 3 firefighters for service 'above and beyond'
By Mike Berger
Citizen Staff
A trio of
firefighters who saved the life of a man suffering cardiac
arrest and a veteran Canton police officer who has helped the
police solve multiple auto break-ins were honored Friday night
as “unsung heroes” by town officials and the Knights of
Columbus.
It was the
eighth consecutive year that the Richard Stein Public Safety
Awards — founded by the late Richard Stein — have honored a
Canton firefighter and police officer whose service goes above
and beyond the call of duty.
This year,
Fire Chief Tim Ronayne selected an engine and paramedic crew —
Captain/EMT Wendell Robery, Firefighter/EMT Thomas Norton and
Firefighter/EMT Michael Moriarty, and Police Chief Ken Berkowitz
selected seven-year veteran officer Mike O’Brien.
 On July 23,
2007 at 7:30 p.m., Robery, Norton and Moriarty responded to a
call at a Chapman Street home for a man who was in full cardiac
arrest. The firefighters used advanced life saving procedures
and a defibrillator and administered oxygen to revive victim Al
Del Cupolo.
Del Cupolo,
himself a K of C member, attended Friday’s event and
congratulated the officers. Ronayne praised the actions of his
three firefighters and noted that a doctor, who is a neighbor of
Del Cupolo, came into the house that night and told the crew
that they had done everything perfectly.
Berkowitz
said O’Brien worked diligently for seven years on the midnight
shift.
And though
many did not know O’Brien well because of his hours, Berkowitz
said all appreciated his professionalism and his commitment to
his job. “It’s these officers who allow us to sleep,” he said,
“and not have to worry about people breaking into homes.”
Berkowitz
called O’Brien a “prototype officer” who had to retire too
early because of a heart condition brought on by the stress of
one particular motor vehicle accident with several personal
injuries.
Citations
for the honorees from the State House and from U.S. Senator John
Kerry’s office were read, and Selectman Vice Chairman Avril
Elkort presented a town proclamation honoring the police officer
and firefighters.
Presentations
from the K of C were made by Grand Knight Joseph Thornton and
John Shea, K of C event chairman.
June 26, 2008
Return
to Past Articles Page
|
