City of Ithaca Police Chief Tyler responded to a head-on car accident in the Town of Dryden where one driver had become wedged in the car’s floorboard and wasn’t breathing.  Chief Tyler stabilized the victim and established an airway by completing a procedure using a nasopharyngeal airway device which proved successful.  Rescue breathing could then begin which gave the victim the chance to survive.

Deputy Thomas Gallagher, a member of the Tioga County SWAT team, responded with his colleagues to a suspicious vehicle in front of a home. After they arrived, two people ran from the house and then a third person emerged with a gun pointed at his head. Deputy Gallagher carefully and calmly negotiated with the suspect who ended up relinquishing his firearm and surrendering peacefully, preventing what could have been a tragic situation for his co-workers and the suspect.   The subject was taken into custody and the team completed a thorough investigation of the scene. 

Union-Endicott High School seniors Taylor Bessey and Cole Rivell were in the school cafeteria when a friend who has a history of seizures began to show signs of an episode.  Taylor ascertained she was experiencing a serious seizure, reacting quickly to ensure that her friend remained upright so as to not fall back and hit her head.  As the student’s convulsing body became heavier, Cole helped stabilize her. School custodian Clint Densmore lent his aid while building administration, the school nurse, and emergency personnel arrived.  Taylor, Cole and Mr. Densmore were able to safely place the student on her side and stayed with her as the seizure relaxed. 

John Greene has led a life of volunteering with a commitment to social welfare from a very early age. Family members served as blood donor role models.  At age 18, John had a friend with cancer, and those who donated could provide blood so that the patient wouldn’t have to pay for it.  This jump-started John’s blood donation journey. John has donated ever since, including more complex and time-consuming platelet donations.  John has given more than 600 units of blood in 393 donations, saving countless lives.

As a bus driver for the Norwich City School District, Samantha Eldred is well-versed in proper safety procedures.  She put this knowledge to work when she pulled a student to safety by grabbing his hoodie as he was going down the bus steps to exit. By snapping into action, Samantha kept the student from being hit by a car that was moving swiftly along the right-hand side of the stopped bus. 

Sue Martin, bus driver for the Susquehanna Valley Central School District, was on her morning bus run when she noticed a man lying in the driveway of a home along her route.  Sue investigated the scene, went to the home to alert the man’s wife, secured a blanket, tended to the victim’s multiple wounds and covered him to protect him from freezing temperatures to which he had been exposed for nearly 90 minutes. Even a few additional minutes in freezing temperatures could have led to a tragic outcome for this victim.

While working at the Tioga Downs Casino Resort, Stephen Green responded to a patron who was on the floor in distress; he had no pulse and wasn’t breathing.  Trained as an EMT, Stephen began CPR and used an AED to revive the lucky patron.

Detective Matthew Barcak, Broome County Sheriff’s office, was assisting with Police Academy recruit training at a remote site when an officer collapsed and was unresponsive. A short time before that, the officer had been stung several times by a swarm of bees.  The victim stopped breathing, but due to Detective Barcak’s medical response training, he was able to provide rescue breaths until emergency medical personnel arrived.

During a birthday celebration at the Johnson City Elementary School, Alisha J. Merrill, a Special Education teacher, jumped into action when she noticed one of her students had stopped breathing; a piece of candy had become lodged in his throat. Alisha was able to dislodge the obstruction on the fourth push, successfully performing rescue procedures despite tense circumstances.

While responding to a house fire, Firefighter Kenneth Roe, East Maine Fire Company, Captain Robert Congdon, Endwell Fire Department, and Lieutenant Brian Haas, Union Center Fire Company, worked collaboratively to rescue a fellow firefighter who had fallen through a floor and become trapped in the basement of the fully-involved house fire.  Firefighter Roe risked his own life by holding onto his colleague in the fiery hole, Captain Congdon activated a “Mayday” distress call, and Lieutenant Haas lifted his fellow firefighter from danger and dragged him to safety. 

Danielle rescued her cat (“Kitty’) from the streets, and five years later Kitty rescued Danielle. Pouncing on her in the middle of the night, Kitty alerted Danielle to a fire engulfing her apartment complex where no fire alarms had sounded.  Danielle was able to escape and help neighbors vacate the multi-unit blaze.  Initially losing Kitty in the event, the next day a firefighter emerged with Kitty alive in his arms, reuniting her with Danielle. 

United States Postal Service Rural Mail Carrier Ashley Huizinga was on her route when she saw a house on fire, promptly calling 911.  Neighbor John Welch and Sgt. Robert Bloom, who had arrived on the scene, successfully rescued the homeowner’s bedridden son who was trapped in the burning home. Despite an inoperable electric lift, the need to unhook medical equipment, and maneuvering a motorized wheelchair through a tight doorway, the son was moved to safety. 

Maria Rose Belding is the co-founder and executive director at the MEANS Database, a nonprofit tech company working in 49 U.S. states, D.C., Canada and Iceland, to reroute more than 2.5 million pounds of food to those in need.  MEANS (Matching Excess And Need for Stability) uses a free, online platform to connect businesses with extra food to charities that feed the hungry. Her work has received recognition from Points of Light, L’Oréal Paris, and the Obama White House with two President’s Volunteer Service awards. She earned Points of Light's highest honor, the G.W. Bush Prize, in 2019. At age 23 she became the youngest woman ever named a CNN Hero of the Year.