LAVALLETTE — The mayor and council recently honored three Lavallette police officers for their October successful lifesaving effort in response to a medical emergency call on Aug. 23.
At the Dec. 16 meeting of the Borough Council, Police Chief Christian LaCicero said that the officers, Ptl. Thomas Harrington, Ptl. Thomas Ruppert and Ptl. Michael Madera, had done an exemplary service to the community by aiding in the successful lifesaving efforts on a runner who had gone into cardiac arrest earlier in the year.
“In (August), a 52-year-old man was jogging on the boardwalk, when he collapsed and went into cardiac arrest,” said LaCicero. “A passerby called 911; another, who I believe is a nurse, jumped in and started doing CPR.”
“Our officers arrived within two minutes from the time of the 911 call until they began giving CPR and using their training experience and equipment,” said the chief. “They took over CPR using the defibrillator and the victim regained a pulse and was subsequently transported by the Lavallette First Aid Squad to the hospital — I have to give credit to the Lavallette First Aid Squad, they were on scene very quickly.”
Chief LaCicero continued to say that the reason the recognition was being made public so long after the incident was to ensure the recovery of the victim, Mark Girgus, who was present for the Dec. 16 council meeting.
“The reason we’re doing this in December, and not September, was because we wanted to make sure that the victim survived,” he said. “And I’m happy to announce that Mark Girgus is here with us tonight. I was in contact with Mark’s mother while he was receiving care, and he has been able to meet the people who called 911 and began CPR; tonight, he was able to meet the officers that ultimately saved his life.”
The chief explained that upon becoming chief, one of the things he wanted was to begin a tradition of honoring officers publicly for exceptional deeds and work, and that he was pleased to have a positive reason to honor them in light of Girgus’ recovery.
“When I took over as chief, one of the things we realized that we didn’t have was an awards program,” said LaCicero. “For years, guys have been doing exceptional work, and they get a pat on the back in the locker room, but no formal recognition for those works.”
“This is the first time we found something worthy of such recognition and I’m proud to be here to do it,” said the chief. “(Borough Administrator John O.) Bennett is not here tonight, but he was very supportive of this as well.”
This is an excerpt of the print article. For more on this story, read The Ocean Star—on newsstands Friday or online in our e-Edition.
Check out our other Lavallette stories, updated daily. And remember to pick up a copy of The Ocean Star—on newsstands Friday or online in our e-Edition.
Subscribe today! If you’re not already an annual subscriber to The Ocean Star, get your subscription today! For just $38 per year, you will receive local mail delivery weekly, with pages and pages of local news and online access to our e-edition on Starnewsgroup.com.
