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Corrections Personnel Honored for Saving Inmate's Life

Release Date: December 14, 2015
Sheriff Michael F. Strada recently recognized and awarded several members of the Sheriff's Office Bureau of Corrections with honors for their respective roles in saving the life of an inmate during a medical emergency.

Corrections Personnel Honored for Saving Inmate's Life

Sussex County Sheriff
(L-R) Corrections Officer Brandon Fazio, Sergeant Paul Reiher, Sheriff Michael F. Strada, Licensed Practical Nurse Jean Thompson, Registered Nurse Cathy Toth

Sheriff Michael F. Strada recently recognized and awarded several members of the Sheriff's Office Bureau of Corrections with honors for their respective roles in saving the life of an inmate during a medical emergency.

During the evening of May 8, 2015, Corrections Officers Brandon Fazio and Jeffrey Hilbert observed a prisoner who had collapsed and was unresponsive. They immediately contacted medical staff and ordered all inmates back to their cells. Sergeants Paul Reiher and Eric Groeger responded to their location along with nurses Jean Thompson and Cathy Toth. After determining the patient was in cardiac distress, Nurses Thompson and Toth began CPR. Corrections Officer Fazio and Sergeant Reiher began to prepare an Automated External Defibrillation device (AED) for use and, in conjunction with the medical staff performing CPR, delivered several rounds of defibrillation to the patient. The patient was ultimately airlifted to Morristown Memorial Hospital where he was placed on life support.

For their actions in preserving the inmate's life, the following individuals were each presented with awards by Sheriff Strada.

Corrections Officer Brandon Fazio was presented with the Sheriff's Life Saving Award.

Sergeant Paul Reiher was presented with the Sheriff's Life Saving Award.

Licensed Practical Nurse Jean Thompson was presented with the Sheriff's Life Saving Award.

Registered Nurse Cathy Toth was presented with the Sheriff's Life Saving Award.

Sergeant Eric Groeger was presented with the Honorable Service Award

Corrections Officer Jeffrey Hilbert was presented with the Honorable Service Award.

Corrections Officer Michael Scuzzese was presented with the Honorable Service Award.

Sheriff Strada thanks each of the above named personnel for their diligence, initiative, and rapid action while in the line of duty. Their successful efforts to save a person's life reflect great credit upon themselves and the Bureau of Corrections as a whole.