Suffolk County Police Chief of Department Stuart Cameron recognized the heroic efforts of Suffolk County Police Officers at a press conference Wednesday, November 16. Chief of Police Cameron commended the work of Emergency Service Section Officer Thomas Russo, Emergency Service Section Officer Gerald Sheridan, Aviation Section Sergeant Brian Barrett, Seventh Precinct Police Officer James Anson, Sixth Precinct Gang Unit Officer William Cope, Sixth Precinct Gang Unit Officer Donny Calcagno.
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L-R Officer Russo, Chief Cameron, Officer Sheridan, Sergeant Barrett and Chief Brown in back row.Chief Cameron discussed two recent events; the first involved the rescue of three women who were attempting suicide at a building on the grounds of the Nissequogue River State Park in Kings Park (former Kings Park Psychiatric Center), the second was a house fire in Centereach. In each case police officers put their well-being in jeopardy and saved lives.
In the Kings Park incident Suffolk County Police officers saved the lives of three young suicidal woman. The women entered into building 93 at the Nissequogue River State Park (former Kings Park Psychiatric Center) climbed to the top, climbed out on the ledge of the 13th floor and were prepared to jump when SCPD Emergency Service Section Officers Thomas Russo and Gerald Sheridan grabbed the women and brought them to safety.
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Chief Cameron along with the officers described the incident that took place which started with a phone call at 4:30 pm on November 11 from NYS Park Police notifying them of a potential suicide event on park property. A search of the grounds ensued with Aviation Section Sergeant Brian Barrett operating a helicopter and using a camera to try to spot the young woman. Once located, he realized that there were two additional women on the ledge of bldg. 93. All three women appeared to be acting erratically and making several attempts to put their legs over the ledge. This information was relayed to Officers Russo and Sheridan who were on the scene anticipating the rescue of a single person.
Due to the erratic behaviors of the three women as reported by Sergeant Barrett, Russo and Sheridan sought and received permission to enter the bldg. without their hazmat gear. The Officers using only respirators and without any floor plans of the interior of the bldg. entered and began their climb to the thirteenth floor. The building has many stairwells and is contaminated with asbestos. In many places the floor boards have completely rotted out leaving only floor board planks or rafters to walk on. With no existing floor there is the danger of falling through.
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To get out to the ledge one has to crawl through a small opening in a outside wall. Walking on the rafters the officers approached the opening as one of the women was rentering the bldg. Officer Sheridan grabbed her, as he did the woman attempted to throw herself off the rafter. Officer Sheridan was able to secure her. As he was holding the woman Officer Russo went through the hole as one of the women attempted to throw her leg over the ledge. He grabbed and held onto both women. The officers than had to get the women down the thirteen flights of stairs where Kings Park EMS was waiting for them.
The young women were saved, the building was secured and life goes on for the officers until their next call.
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L-R Fire Chief Corley, Chief of Police Cameron, Officer Anson , Officer Calcagno, Officer Cope and In the back Chief BrownIn Centereach Police Officer James Anson, Gang Unit Officer William Cope, Gang Unit Officer Donny Calcagno and Centereach Fire Department First Assistant Chief Bob Corley were recognized for saving the lives of a family of four. Officer Anson was off-duty and at home when his daughter informed him that a neighbor’s house was on fire. The officer told his daughter to call 911 and immediately got a ladder ran to the home where the family was in an upper level room. Officer Anson without fire protection gear or a respirator went to the window grabbed the children one at a time and handed them off to Officers Cope and Calcagno. The officer assisted the parents down the ladder as the Centereach Fire Department arrived to put out the fire and subsequent fires flaring on adjacent homes. Fire Chief Corley praised the officers for their heroic and unselfish behavior. The family lost everything in the fire and Chief Corley announced that the Centereach Fire Department would be accepting donations for the family at headquarters located at 9 South Washington Avenue
Centereach, NY 11720.