Mass. Communities Honor Public Safety`s Best of 2016
Jan. 20--A chemical explosion. Narcotics investigations. Hundreds of fires. 2016 brought no shortage of incidents requiring emergency response, and for the 55th year, the Exchange Club of Lawrence will recognize the outstanding service of some of the Merrimack Valley's finest agents of public safety for their efforts over the past year.
Police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians from Andover, Lawrence, and North Andover -- the communities served by the Exchange Club of Lawrence -- as well as paramedics from Lawrence General Hospital will be honored at a dinner on Jan. 26 at the Doubletree Andover Hotel.
Each department submitted nominating letters to the Exchange Club for their "Best of 2016."
Among those honored are paramedics who responded to North Andover's Dow Chemical Plant for an explosion in January 2016.
First responders and emergency medical response teams from Lawrence General Hospital assisted North Andover emergency personnel to treat four critically injured victims who suffered serious burns following an explosion at the plant.
Patients received additional contamination prior to entering Lawrence General Hospital's emergency room, due to the potential of chemical exposure. Three medical helicopters were utilized to transport victims to Boston for specialized burn and trauma care.
John Smith, Jon Lovett, Christian Arias, Kyle Labrecque, and David Rousseaux from Lawrence General Hospital will be honored as the hospital's paramedics of the year for their service during that incident.
From the Andover fire department, Deputy Chief Albert Delotto, Lieutenants William Loehr, Robert Stabile, Mark Conlon, and Firefighters Garrett Ferris, John McMullen, John Senee, Stephen Stabile, Eric Teichert, Scott Weightman, Brian Landry, Ian Timmons, Joseph Murphy, Michael Byerley, and Timothy Bartlett will be honored, as will Andover police Officers Brian Mackenzie and Sean O'Day.
From Lawrence, police Detective Sergeant Maurice Aguilar will be awarded, as well as fire investigators Capt. James Driscoll, Lt. Paul Maccarone and Lt. Michael Armano, and Firefighter Miguel Baez.
"Over the last year the Lawrence Fire Department has had over 328 fire incidents involving 66 building fires and numerous other fires such as car, dumpster and brush," wrote fire Chief Brian Moriarty in a nominating letter to the Exchange Club.
"Although some of our fires are still listed as undetermined, which is not unusual in many circumstances in the fire service, our investigators have diligently followed through on many fires where there was no evidence or witness present, and worked backwards following the steps of these would-be arsonists."
In North Andover, Firefighter Matt Davis will be honored, as well as police Lt. Daniel Lanen, Detectives Matthew Zahoruiko and Michael Reardon, Officers Daniel Quinlan, Robert Hillner, and Jarrad Law.
Lt. Eric Foulds, spokesperson for the North Andover police, issued a press release outlining the work of the officers during a narcotics investigation in December 2016.
In the process of investigating a man with drugs in plain sight, detectives Reardon and Zahoruiko were injured when the man fled in his car, striking Reardon with the side view mirror and dragging Zahoruiko a short distance before the officer was able to disengage.
Officer Quinlan located the vehicle and pursued it, while Officer Hillner and Lt. Lanen had positioned themselves to stop the man, who was ultimately arrested and charged with two counts of assault and battery on a police officer and possession of cocaine, among other charges.
The Jan. 26 event will begin with a social hour at 6 p.m., followed by a dinner at 7. While uniformed officers are the guests of the Exchange Club, the public is invited for a ticket price of $35. Tickets may be purchased by contacting the club's event chairman Kevin Shea by phone at 978-771-8962, or by email at kjsshea@gmail.com
(c)2017 The Eagle-Tribune (North Andover, Mass.)
