Hopewell Township’s finest – police officers, emergency services specialists and emergency medical technicians – were honored by Hopewell Township Committee last week for their life-saving efforts in two separate incidents.
Police Officer Mark Panzano and Detective Louis Vastola were given the Hopewell Township Police Department’s Lifesaving Award for saving the life of a 21-year-old man who had suffered cardiac arrest on Nov. 20, 2017.
Also, the Hopewell Fire Department’s Lifesaving Award was given to Hopewell Fire Department Deputy Fire Chief William Mullen III and EMS Lt. Mel Myers and emergency medical technician Maximillian Clark, and to Hopewell Township Fire District emergency services specialists Ashley Coble, David VanDoren and Matthew Peck, and firefighter/EMT Dylan Talarick for their role in the Nov. 20 incident.
The incident began when police officers were sent to a Mine Road home on the report of a man who was found to be unresponsive, Chief of Police Lance Maloney said. The victim’s mother was administering CPR to him when Panzano arrived.
After assessing the situation, Officer Panzano used an automated external defibrillator (AED) to try to shock the man’s heart back into rhythm, and continued to give him CPR. Meanwhile, Deputy Fire Chief Mullen and Vastola arrived to assist.
While Detective Vastola and Deputy Fire Chief Mullen continued to administer CPR and to assist the man’s breathing, Panzano administered three more shocks with the AED. Additional emergency medical personnel arrived and took the victim to a local hospital.
Chief Maloney told township committee that after “extensive” rehabilitation, the 21-year-old man has returned home. The family is appreciative of the efforts taken by police and emergency services personnel in response to their call for help, he said.
In another incident, two Hopewell Township police officers and a Hopewell Township Fire District emergency services specialist were honored for saving a dog that had fallen through the ice into a pond on Pennington-Harbourton Road on Dec. 15, 2017.
Police Officers Robert Voorhees and Michael Peterson were given the Police Department’s Merit Award, and emergency services specialist David VanDoren was given a letter of appreciation for his efforts.
Voorhees and Peterson were sent to the home following a call about a dog that had fallen through the ice and into a pond, and that could not get out, Chief Maloney said.
When they arrived, Voorhees and Peterson saw the dog swimming around in the pond, frantically trying to find a way out. The police officers, along with VanDoren, formulated a plan to rescue the dog from the pond.
With a rope attached to him, Voorhees crawled out on the ice to reach the dog. The dog swam over to him, and he grabbed the dog by the collar and pulled her out of the pond.
Peterson and VanDoren pulled Voorhees and the dog back to safety.
Due to their quick actions and disregard for their own safety, the first responders were able to rescue the dog and reunite her with her owner, Maloney said.
“It’s great to see Nisel in such great shape,” Maloney said with a smile, noting that the dog and her owner were sitting in the audience.
Mayor Kevin Kuchinski congratulated the honorees.
“I want to thank all of the first responders for tirelessly putting their lives on the line in service to our residents, and our resident canine,” Kuchinski said.