Life Saving Incident
July 2015
New York
Kings County
New York
In July 2015 Officers Grefory Fortunato and Richard Veldez were on patrol in the Lower Manhattan/Staten Island 123 Pct. The officers noticed that a single family home was on fire. After notifying the fire department they became aware of screams coming from within the building. They decided to take action and entered the building. They encountered heavy smoke and poor viability and had to crawl on the floor to make their way to the screams. They located a female and pulled her to safety. She told them her husband was still in the home. The officers entered and found the husband at the rear of the home trying to extinguish the blaze with a garden hose. At first he resisted their efforts to get him to safety, but he finally relented and emerged without any injuries. Both officers were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.
The history of law enforcement in the United States is a long and wonderful history of bravery. This website is dedicated to documenting the heroic deeds of law enforcement officers throughout the United States who have either given or risked their lives to save others. There are many stories of bravery and heroism for many who are considered first responders. However, it is those in law enforcement who are most likely to be the first to arrive upon a location requiring life saving acts engaging dangerous hostage takers, running into burning buildings/vehicles, providing first aid to seriously injured victims, saving near drowning victims and much more are what the women and men of law enforcement do routinely and at many times, great peril to their own safety.
It is our mission to document the history of lives saved by those dedicated women and men in law enforcement. To share with others the dramatic deeds of those individuals who are the first, first responders. It is so important for our citizens to understand that law "enforcement" is not always about enforcing the law but rather being there when our citizens need us.
It is to this end we are dedicated to promoting documentation regarding the history of law enforcement and the lives they have saved.
