(Middletown CT – Dec. 28, 2023) - Seven new State Troopers received awards at their graduation ceremony today for immediately performing lifesaving measures on a fellow recruit who collapsed during an overnight at the Training Academy last summer.
After being sworn in as State Troopers this morning during their graduation from the State Police Training Academy, the seven recruits, along with two Academy instructors, were awarded the Medal for Lifesaving for responding to another recruit who was suffering from a severe medical emergency. This is believed to be the first time newly-sworn CT State Troopers were awarded medals at their graduation.
On August 18, 2023, a female recruit suffered a medical emergency during the early morning hours. The two roommates of the recruit rendered urgent care and other recruits, some with extensive medal training, arrived to assist. The rapid response of these seven recruits and their assistance with arriving EMS is commendable as they were only on week nine of the 28-week Training Academy.
After providing immediate emergency medical care on site, academy staff and recruits coordinated ambulatory transport to Midstate Medical Center in Meriden and communication with the family of the recruit. Doctors and staff at Midstate quickly determined that the recruit in medical distress required urgent treatment from a facility with a higher level of care. However, severe thunderstorms prevented transport by helicopter.
The ambulance that arrived to transport the recruit to Yale-New Haven Hospital struggled to navigate through heavy traffic due to the inclement weather and morning rush hour that day. Academy staff took the initiative to clear a path of travel and escort the ambulance with emergency lights & sirens to ensure a faster ride to New Haven.
Once at the hospital, the recruit was rushed into an operating room to manage her trauma. During the course of surgery, doctors were able to identify and treat the cause of this life-threatening medical emergency.
Both the Yale medical team and the recruit’s family directly attributed the patient’s survival to the immediate response of academy staff & recruits. At a time of crisis, the support demonstrated by the staff & recruits during and after the incident displayed professionalism and care that went above and beyond expectations.
The seven recruits and two instructors who received the Medal for Lifesaving at today’s graduation are as follows:
Trooper Trainee Gunner Nunn
Trooper Trainee Julia Gettings
Trooper Trainee Justin Trzaski
Trooper Trainee Kelly Mazza
Trooper Trainee Lina Vivo
Trooper Trainee Nicholas Jamaitus
Trooper Trainee Donnell Niles
Trooper First Class Donald Dunning, Academy Instructor
Sergeant Jason St. John, Academy Instructor