NEWBURY – Town Administrator Tracy Blais, Police Chief Patricia Fisher and Fire Chief Dave Evans are pleased to share that members of Newbury Police, Fire and Dispatch received commendation awards for their combined efforts in saving a man’s life last month.
The special commendation ceremony was held Tuesday, Nov. 12. Newbury Emergency Communications Dispatcher Edward Wilson, Police Sgt. Jason daCunha, Officer Emmanuel Terrero, Newbury Fire Lieutenant Keith Grant, Firefighter/EMT Jason Braley, and Firefighter/Paramedic Andrea Ball received ribbons of commendations.
On Oct. 20, Newbury Communication Center received a 911 call from a woman whose husband had fallen off a boat into the Parker River in the area of Riverfront Marina. The woman had been actively holding onto her husband for about 20 minutes trying to prevent him from going under as he fought against the strong current.
Dispatcher Wilson immediately sent first responders and water rescue units to the scene, and within two minutes of the call coming in, Sgt. daCunha was on scene.
Sgt. Jason daCunha, and the wife held the man above water until additional police and fire units arrived.
Crews utilized multiple flotation devices to keep the individual afloat and were then able to safely extract the man from the water. The man was transported to an area hospital for evaluation.
“Police officers are often forced to make split-second decisions in circumstances that are tense, uncertain, and rapidly evolving. Their ability to do so resulted in the preservation of life during this dangerous incident,” said Chief Fisher. “Water rescues can be extremely dangerous as the changing environment works against first responders. However, even with these risks our officers and firefighters stepped into their role as first responders, and I am proud of the outcome.”
“I want to congratulate our members and Newbury Police and dispatch personnel for the commitment to the safety of our community. I’m so proud of this group of firefighters and police officers. They went above and beyond, putting their own lives in jeopardy to save the life of a person in need,” said Chief Evans. “This incident could have gone extremely differently, and this showcases the great working relationship between our departments. From the initial 911 call, our communication between personnel was immediate and I want to acknowledge a job well done by all.” ♦
