Photo Gallery: Saratoga Sheriff’s life-saving awards; Dispatcher saved from heart attack in Sept., multiple honored

PHOTOGRAPHER: Erica Miller/Staff Photographer

Saratoga County Sheriff desk officer Cheri L Melucci

Categories: Life & Arts, News, Saratoga County

BALLSTON SPA – Three members of the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Communications Division were honored Tuesday for their roles in saving a fellow dispatcher from a heart attack in September.

Each of the three received the agency’s Life Saving Award for helping save Cheri L. Melucci, who suffered a heart attack Sept. 17 while dispatching at work.

Melucci was dispatching to an investigator on the phone when she developed a loss of hearing, felt faint and experienced a speech change. Desk officers and sergeants then came to her rescue.

Melucci spoke emotionally at the ceremony and attended with her husband, Michael, and son, Jacob, 15.

Given life-saving awards were Desk Sgt. Kurt Haas, Desk Officer Thomas Lundquist and director Steven Gordon.

Six other members of the division were given certificates of merit for their roles during the medical emergency. They are: desk Sgt. Leah Kane, desk Sgt. Timothy Johnston, desk officer George Downs, desk officer Niklas Kaplan, desk officer Joshua Otten and desk officer William Cody Marshall.

Photos from Tuesday’s event by Erica Miller/Staff Photographer

Saratoga County Sheriff Desk Officer Cheri L Melucci, of Hudson Falls, gets emotional as she speaks of her experience in September as she suffered a heart attack while dispatching at work. ERICA MILLER/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Saratoga County Sheriff Desk Officer Cheri L Melucci, of Hudson Falls, gets emotional as Sheriff Zurlo speaks. ERICA MILLER/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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Infinity Med Solutions training manager and Board Member of Capital Regino Heart Association Jack Berilacqua hands heart award from Heart Association to Saratoga County Sheriff Mike Zurlo for their continual education on CPR instructions. ERICA MILLER/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Saratoga County Sheriff Mike Zurlo speaks. ERICA MILLER/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Saratoga County Sheriff Mike Zurlo. ERICA MILLER/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Saratoga County EMS Coordinator Mike EcEvoy speaks. ERICA MILLER/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Saratoga County OES Deputy Commissioner/Fire Coordinator Ed Tremblay hands NYS Association of Fire Chief Awards to crew members from Community Emergency Corps, of Ballston Spa, during the awards ceremony. ERICA MILLER/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Saratoga County OES Deputy Commissioner/Fire Coordinator Ed Tremblay hands NYS Association of Fire Chief Awards to Saratoga County Sheriff Desk Officer Thomas Lundquist III (front) and Kurt H Haas III during the awards ceremony. ERICA MILLER/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Members of Community Emergency Corps, of Ballston Spa, clap during the awards ceremony. ERICA MILLER/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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