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EMS crew honored for saving lives of two Rockaway cops

The Rockaway Chamber of Commerce recently honored the heroic efforts of the five DC 37 EMS workers who rushed to the rescue when a man wielding a knife viciously attacked a pair of city Police Officers on Jan. 15.

The Emergency Medical Service crew from Station 47 that raced to answer the emergency call and arrived at the scene as the officers were struggling to subdue the man consisted of Emergency Medical Technicians Michael Healy and Kimberly Hattan, Paramedics Jayson Verspoor and Michael Liporace and Lt. David Weston.

In the struggle, one officer was stabbed in the hand and the other was more seriously wounded with stab wounds to the face and shoulder. “The EMTs stabilized their injuries and helped stop the bleeding of the officers,” said FDNY Captain Steven Warren.

With the assistance of Lt. Weston, the Paramedics administered an IV and a cardiac monitor while waiting for the ambulance to arrive and take the pair to the nearest trauma center at Jamaica Hospital. Both officers are recovering from their injuries.

The local Chamber of Commerce honored the members of Uniformed EMTs and Paramedics Local 2507 and Uniformed EMS Officers Local 3621 April 23 at a luncheon at Russo’s on the Bay.

“These are very brave members who are responsible for saving the lives of two officers,” said Capt. Warren.