During Thursday’s Board of Selectmen meeting, Peter Tesei read aloud a letter from Port Chester Police Dept’s Chief Richard Conway, addressed to Greenwich Fire Dept Chief Siecienski.
The purpose of the letter was to bring the Selectmen’s attention to the heroic actions of Firefighter Matthew Gordiski, who is credited for saving the life of a four-year-old boy in Port Chester.
According to the letter, on a recent afternoon, firefighter Gordiski was off-duty driving in his personal vehicle when he observed a crowd gathered around a gray Mazda near the intersection of Willett Ave and North Main Street in Port Chester, NY.
According to Chief Conway’s letter, Firefighter Gordiski noticed someone was attending to an unconscious child.
Ignoring his own safety, he exited his vehicle and sprinted across traffic to the scene, where he encountered a chaotic situation.
A four-year-old boy playing with the sunroof of a vehicle had gotten his neck caught in the roof, which was causing him to lose consciousness and go into respiratory and cardiac arrest.
Recognizing the magnitude of the situation Firefighter Gordiski immediately took control and began performing chest compressions on the child. He continued to do so until he was relieved by Port Chester/Rye EMS personnel.
Physicians and EMS personnel have attributed the child’s survival to Gordiski’s actions on the scene.
“I believe I speak for the entire Port Chester Police Dept in commending Firefighter Gordiski for his, professionalism and willingness to help others,” Chief Conway wrote to the Selectmen.
At their meeting, the Board of Selectmen decided to formally express their gratitude to firefighter Gordiski for his heroic actions in a letter.
“It certainly speaks well to his training and his quick thought to help,” Tesei said of Firefighter Gordiski’s quick reaction.
Email news tips to Greenwich Free Press editor Leslie.Yager@GreenwichFreePress.com
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