Four Riverhead Police officers who rescued the occupants of a burning home on Aug. 5 were honored with life saving awards by Riverhead Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard and the Town Board at the board’s Aug. 20 meeting.
Sgt. Giuseppe Rosini, Police Officer John Dahlem and Police Officer William Leon were present to accept the award honoring them for the “outstanding performance and heroic life saving actions” that helped save the lives of three individuals inside a burning home on Newton Avenue on Monday evening, Aug. 5. The fourth officer, Police Officer Matthew Suprina, was not able to be present to receive the award at the meeting, Hubbard said.
The officers arrived to find the house engulfed in flames and heavy smoke, Riverhead Police said in a press release that night. The officers located one of the occupants near the front door, who reported that two other residents, an adult man and woman, were entrapped inside the house. Officers tried to enter the house but due to heavy smoke and fire, retreated, the press release said. The female occupant was able to get to a front bedroom window, where officers were able to pull her out of the house to safety. Officers then went to the rear of the house and located a man in a rear bedroom window and were able to pull him through the window and out of the house, police said in the release. No one was seriously injured.
Hubbard, a retired Riverhead Police detective, recounted how frightening he found it when he had to enter a burning house during his training at the police academy. He expressed admiration for entering a house “during a roaring fire” to rescue people trapped inside.
“We thank you for your bravery,” Hubbard said. “There’s a family here living tonight because of your bravery and your heroic efforts.
“We know that’s what we sign up for the job to do. We hope we never have to do it sometimes, but thank God that you guys were there,” he said. “You were there right away and saved that family. So hats off to you. Kudos and Godspeed to you guys for the rest of your careers. We owe you a lot,” he said.
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