NYSCOPBA Members in the SPOTLIGHT |
 | On 12/18/2009, Correction Officeres Tim Arquiett and Rob Arquiett (volunteer firefighters) responded to a fire call. Upon arrival at a house fire, they observed the home fully engulfed in flames. Despite the risk to themselves, they entered the home and rescued a wheel chair bound man and his sister. NYSCOPBA salutes Tim and Rob for thier heroic act. |
| Hats off to the NYSCOPBA Members at Oneida, MidState, Mohawk and Marcy for voting to donate $5000 to help the Missing and Exploited children. |  |
 | Lawrence Aschenbrenner was driving near a river and noticed 2 people struggling in the water near their swamped canoe. Lawrence went to the river edge, got in a motor boat that was docked nearby and rescued the victims. Well done Lawrence! |
| On August 12, 2008, Correction Officer Anthony Burl saw a Plattsburg patrol officer struggling to restrain a combatant. Officer Burl offered assistance and was able to bring the situation under control. |  |
 | Joe Porcaro is presented with a recognition award for his dedication to the Veteran members of NYSCOPBA |
| On March 18, 2009, Officer E. Withers heard signs of distress from a neighbor's apartment. Upon investigation, Officer Withers discovered an assailant and a victim in need of aid. CO Withers identified the assailiant to the police and provided CPR to the victim. Valor Award Presented 6/2/09. |  |
| Medal of Merit citation-Orleans Correction Officer Al Miller While working on his house on the banks of the Tonawanda Creek in Indian Falls on August 16, 2008, Correction Officer Al Miller heard loud voices coming from the creekl. At first, he did not think anything of it, since logging had taken place on the creek the previous weekend. But because recent heavy rains had raised the water level and created rapids, and because he knew of an eight-foot waterfall in the area, he had second thoughts. He decided to investigate, and after climbing down an embankment covered with thickets and undergrowth, Officer Miller saw a woman and her two young daughters stranded with their kayak in the middle of the white water rapids. The woman, who appeared to be in shock, was holding her two-year-old and keeping a hand on thekayakcontaining her four-year-old. Officer Miller waded into the rapids and attempted to speak to the mother, who did not respond. He then turned his attention to the four-year-old and, after offering to get her a towel to dry off, took her from the kayak. Before carrying the girl backto shore, Officer Miller managed to get her mother to confirm that she and the two-year-old were secure for the moment. Officer Miller instructed the mother to let the kayak go, then carried the four-year-old back to shore while distracting her with humor. After handing thechild to his girlfriend, Officer Miller disregarded pleas from onlookers on the opposite bank of the creek to stay out of the water since the local firedepartment was on its way, and he waded back to help the mother and her other daughter. The mother eventually handed him the two-year-old, who, not wanting to leave her mother, became combative and nearly knocked Officer Miller off-balance and into the rapids. By that point, the Pembroke Volunteer Fire Department had arrived and volunteers had formed a human chain to Officer Miller. He handed the two-year-oldto one of the firefighters, who helped get her to safety. But when Officer Miller asked the mother to walk with him back to shore, she indicated that she felt too unsteady. He quickly proposed a solution by asking her to place her right foot against his left foot, and when she felt him step, she would step with him. Using this method, Officer Miller helped the woman return safely to shore, where she was reunited with herchildren. Officer Miller, without regard for his own safety, entered cold, dangerous white water rapids to rescue a mother and her twochildrenfrom conditions that most likely would have resulted in catastrophe if he had not taken immediate action. Officer Miller does notconsider himself a hero for his actions, and even walked away quietly when the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department asked who had savedthe womanand her children. But by putting himself in harm’s way to help others, Officer Miller is, in fact, a hero worthy of recognition andgratitude. Officer Miller, you displayed bravery and courage by willingly placing yourself in harm’s way. |
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| Medal of Merit citation-Clinton Correction officer Jay Siskavich At about 9:10 p.m. on July 15, 2008, while approximately 343 inmates were preparing to leave the North Yard at Clinton Correctional Facility, an altercation erupted. Staff noticed that many of the 12 to 15 inmates involved were armed with weapons. Security staff assigned to the yard acted quickly to restore order. But as the officers separatedtheperpetrators, Correction Officer Jay Siskavich saw inmate Wilfredo Ruiz chasing and trying to stab inmate Jeorge Echavarria with a metal shank. After inmate Ruiz ignored several direct orders from Officer Siskavich to drop the weapon, Officer Siskavich jumped onto inmate Ruiz’s back and attempted to gain control of the weapon and protect inmate Echavarria. Inmate Ruiz turned and stabbed Officer Siskavich in the right forearm. Another officer attempting to assist Officer Siskavich sustained a deep stab wound in the left wrist. Despite his injury, Officer Siskavich continued to struggle with inmate Ruiz and finally gained control of the inmate’s right arm. Other officers responding to thescenedisarmed inmate Ruiz, took the weapon and brought the inmate under control, ending the incident. Officer Siskavich’s quick and courageousactions, and his determination in the face of his own injury, prevented serious injury to inmate Echavarria and his fellowresponding officers. Officer Siskavich, you displayed bravery and courage by willingly placing yourself in harm’s way. |
| Mike Bigaj, Collins Correctional Facility- NYSCOPBA would like to take this opportunity to recognize one of our members from Collins Correctional Facility. Mike Bigaj is an Officer and a union steward at Collins and has recently drawn the attention of his Chief Steward Dan Keller and a number of his peers. Some of you may recall a recent posting on our website for an event for retired sergeant John Hackemer, also from Collins, whose son James was seriously wounded while fighting for our country in Iraq.James lost both his legs in a roadside bombing and sustained other injuries as well. Shortly after this horrific tragedy James wife gave birth to a baby girl. Some of you may recall Officer Bigaj from our last Executive Assembly meeting where he was selling tickets for the Hackemer event to help raise money.Officer Bigaj acted as the treasurer for this event and volunteered numerous hours of his own time as well as utilizing his own accruals at work to attend organizational meetings and to conduct business to make this event a success. His efforts cannot go unnoticed as the event took place and was one of the biggest and most successful events this region has ever seen raising over 113,000.00 for the Hackemer family.I would certainly be remiss if I did not mention all the people that helped Officer Bigaj make this event such a huge success by donating time,money,refreshments,entertainment,gifts,and the list goes on and on as it was an unbelievable event. In order to get a real picture of what Officer Bigaj is really all about I need to mention a few other things that have recently come to light.This past Christmas he dressed up as Rudy the Fox and handed out gifts at Childrens Hospital in Buffalo. On Christmas day he went to the Ronald McDonald House and helped cook and serve Christmas dinner for those forced to be away from home. He recently assisted in soliciting over 400 hours of leave donation for one of our members from Collins who was struck down with Cancer.Every six months he also donates packed red blood cells which is used for the treatment of cancer and leukemia. We dont believe you realize the lives you have touched with your kindness,your unselfishness,and your ability to make a difference in peoples lives. You have touched the lives of not only those you have worked so hard for but also your family,your co-workers, and your community. Mike you are a man of compassion with an unwavering character that is admired by many. We Thank You and Commend you for all that you do for so many. |
