HARRISBURG, Pa. (January 30) — The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is pleased to announce that several Waterways Conservation Officers (WCO) have received prestigious Lifesaving Awards.
Philadelphia
WCOs Erin Czech and Abigail Luteri were honored for their roles in a boating incident response on July 4, 2023, while patrolling the Delaware River in Philadelphia. At approximately 10:35 p.m., following a fireworks display on the Camden (NJ) waterfront, Czech, Luteri, and Pennsylvania Game Commission Deputy State Game Warden (DSGW) Darren Holmes observed a flashing light on the Camden side of the river and noticed a personal watercraft (jet ski) moving towards them. After the officers activated their emergency lights, the occupants of the personal watercraft and two other nearby anchored boats alerted the officers that there were two men and a woman distressed in the water who were being carried away by strong currents. Upon seeing the first man in the water, who was not wearing a life jacket and was struggling to swim, WCO Luteri was able to throw a rescue rope and assist DSGW Holmes to pull the man to safety aboard the patrol boat. WCO Czech then maneuvered the patrol boat back towards the other man and woman, who were wearing life jackets, but had been swept approximately 200 yards from their boats. Again, the officers were able to rescue the swimmers, and all three were transported safely back to their boats unharmed. The emergency began when the woman entered the water voluntarily to swim, wearing a life jacket, but had underestimated the strength of the currents in the river. The two men jumped into the water for an attempted rescue when they also became distressed. It should be noted that, at the time of the rescue, WCO Luteri had only been on the job as a WCO for eight days following her graduation from the PFBC training academy.
Bucks County
WCO Michael Blair was honored for his role in a boating incident response on August 26, 2023, at Tullytown Cove on the Delaware River in Bucks County. Upon arriving on the scene, Blair discovered four individuals aboard a 23-foot boat in distress, which was half-submerged and sinking rapidly after striking a large channel marker. Several of the victims aboard the boat had sustained serious injuries and were bleeding, and one victim was in and out of consciousness. Blair assisted in providing life jackets to the distressed boaters, helped them onto the PFBC patrol boat, and transported them to a nearby marina where EMS was waiting to provide medical assistance.
WCOs Blair, Czech, and Luteri were presented with Lifesaving Awards during the PFBC's quarterly Commission meeting on January 22, 2024.
Photo courtesy PFBC. Pictured left to right: WCO Erin Czech, Col. Clyde Warner, WCO Abigail Luteri, Sgt. Ron Evancho, WCO Michael Blair, PFBC Executive Director Tim Schaeffer, and PFBC Board President William Gibney.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Mike Parker
Communications Director
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
(717)585-3076
michparker@pa.gov