NJ Cops | Page 64

Blizzard relief When a blizzard dumped mountains of snow on the Garden State last month, the cold, wind and flakes were no match for the heroic acts of PBA members across the state. Howell Township Local 228 Officer John Lopez may have saved lives when he stopped a motorist who didn't clear the snow from his vehicle, making it impossible to see while driving. The driver cleared off only enough snow to partially see out the side of his windshield. Lopez and his partner helped the senior driver remove the snow from his vehicle. “It was the right thing to do,” admitted Lopez. “He needed the help and that's what we're here for.” Barnegat Township Local 296 officers continued to pay it forward during the storm and helped clear a woman from her snowbound home. An elderly resident contacted members after a snowplow piled a few feet of snow in her driveway. With the power restored and a mandatory evacuation order lifted, Sergeants Jason Carroll and Wayne Eslinger gathered a handful of officers and snow shovels and headed out in the frigid conditions to serve the community and help the woman in need. With the help of members Lauren Keilitz, Nicholas Venuto and Anthony Carlo, the crew cleared the driveway after 30 minutes of teamwork and the resident had safe access to the street. Evesham Township Intercounties Local 30 member Leemah Leach went the extra, snowy mile to make sure an elderly woman’s vehicle was clear of snow. The good deed was caught on the member’s dashboard camera. A resident observed Leach clearing a “giant mound of snow” off the car during a traffic stop and commended her actions saying, “We need 25 more of you.” d Barnegat Township Local 296 officers shoveled the driveway of a resident stuck in her home during Winter Storm Jonas. 64 NEW JERSEY COPS ■ FEBRUARY 2016