2016 NJSPBA
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Valor Awards
The handy discovery
Officer Marcin Nierodzik of Dunellen Local 146 was on patrol on Aug. 6 when he detected the scent of smoke. Soon after,
Nierodzik heard an explosion and identified a residence building engulfed in flames. The actions taken next came through
instinct for Nierodzik, who has both EMS and firefighting experience.
“Whatever I was trained with just took over,” stated Nierodzik.
“It was like second nature.”
Nierodzik quickly assessed the residenc e for occupants and
identified two people trapped on the second floor of the building. Sergeant John Doherty arrived on the scene and went into
instant action looking for resources in the area that could help
them access the trapped individuals who were beginning to
panic as the flames continued to close in on them. Doherty
spotted a ladder on top of a utility truck behind the building
and didn’t think twice.
“Everything just clicked in,” explained Nierodzik. “We just
ripped the ladder off of the truck and used it to our advantage.”
They acted quickly to secure the ladder and simultaneously instructed the trapped male and female to remain calm
throughout the rescue. Both individuals were brought to safety and the fire department took over the scene to put out the
flames.
Sergeant Doherty and Officer Nierodzik were presented with
60
NEW JERSEY COPS
■ DECEMBER 2016
Sergeant John Doherty
Officer Marcin Nierodzik
Dunellen Local 146
the Lifesaving Award for their fearless response that led to the
rescue of two individuals caught in danger. Officer Nierodzik,
who had never attended a Valor Awards ceremony before, expressed deep pride in the recognition and felt honored to be
present in a room full of people who like him, live to serve.
“You take this job because your heart is in a specific place,”
Nierodzik confides. “Anyone who puts that badge and uniform
on, no matter what their background is, is there to do what
they’re trained to do - and what’s right.” d
A well-executed rescue
All that training in the academy and during the years since
to account for every detail is done for moments like four Woodbridge officers encountered on Oct. 13, 2015.
During the midnight shift, Officers Brian Vella, David Hughes,
Amanda Felicies and Sean McManus were dispatched to a motor vehicle accident at 1:07 a.m. Finding a vehicle almost entirely engulfed in flames, the group sprang into action as fi their
response was drawn up on a whiteboard during roll call.
Unsure if anyone was inside of the vehicle, the officers approached with fire extinguishers in hand discovering that the
driver’s side door was locked. Officers Felicies and McManus
attempted to suppress the flames with the fire extinguishers.
Officer Vella retrieved the halogen bar from his patrol car and
smashed the window.
Discovering that there was an unresponsive driver in the
vehicle, Officer Hughes unlocked the door and he and Officer
Vella, and with help from Officers Felicies and McManus, the
driver was pulled by his belt away from the vehicle which was
now fully engulfed in flames.
In the end it was a textbook execution of a rescue involving a
vehicle fire right down the bravery of the four officers. Although
they came out unscathed, Officers Vella and Hughes had to be
treated at a local hospital for minor burns and smoke inhalation. d
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Officer Brian Vella
Officer David Hughes
Officer Amanda Felicies
Officer Sean McManus
Woodbridge Local 38