ADAMS, Mass. — Two town police officers were recognized on Wednesday for their life-saving actions in two separate incidents.

 

Sgt. Gregory Onorato and Officer Christopher Whitney were presented to the Board of Selectmen and given plaques in recognition of their efforts at a crime scene and at an accident.

 

Police Chief K. Scott Kelley told the Board of Selectmen that sometimes he gets comments or emails about his officers going above and beyond their duties. 

 

"Sometimes you catch them and say great job, send them an email and then sometimes it raises to the level of this, where you go before the Board of Selectmen because something these officers did was just something extraordinary and without a thought to their safety," he said. "It's like, I've got to make this known."

 

Kelley cautioned that he would be transparent in speaking about the incidents "because without me saying exactly what they did, I don't think the appreciation can be there."

 

Onorato was off duty on Aug. 12 and with his family in Pittsfield when a northbound Silverado collided with a southbound Subaru Forester on Merrill. There were three people who were injured in the Subaru. 

 

There was glass embedded in the passengers, blood everywhere and the passenger in the back seat was in "dire straits," said Kelley.

 

"What Greg did, off-duty and in plainclothes, was get into the back seat with this female, recognize she was in serious trouble," he said. "He used towels, his hands, to hold her head up and keep pressure on the wounds. ...

 

"He stayed there with heavy bleeding from her head and a skull fracture. And he stayed with her until EMS arrived."

 

Many of the people who saw the accident were "frozen," Kelley continued, and Onorato took command of the situation until Pittsfield officers arrived. 

 

The chief said he had followed up on the woman's condition and was told her injuries were serious but that she would recover. 

 

"I assure you from my experience and the people that I've talked to after hearing about this, this without a doubt qualifies as a life-saving incident," he said. 

 

Whitney, who works nights, was the first officer on the scene of the June 7 stabbing on North Summer Street. He found the victim lying in a pool of blood with a large gash on her neck and called for the other officer to grab a bleed control kit.

 

"Officer Whitney was using everything ... including his fingers, to keep that neck wound closed," said Kelley. "He went and found the victim, put his safety in danger because we didn't know if that [assailant] was still in the house."

 

The chief received four emails pointing to the outstanding work Whitney had done in "calmly and competently" assessing the patient, expertly applying a pressure dressing, relaying the information to incoming emergency medical services and maintaining manual cervical spine stabilization.

 

"That's very important," the chief said. "Any movement, if he doesn't keep it in line? There could be paralysis."

 

Kelley said Onorato and Whitney had applied life-saving first aid without thinking twice, using their years of experience and the tactical medical training they had received. 

 

"It's things like this that makes me so proud of this Police Department," he told the board. "These are your police officers here and they're here for you."

 

Both officers received a standing ovation and Kelley said he would be returning with more recognitions in the future.

 

Chair Christine Hoyt extended her gratitude for giving the board an opportunity to hear about the work of the officers and "to make sure that people are aware of the kinds of things our department is doing and, I for one, I'm very proud of this department and grateful for what they do serve our community."

 

In other business, the board: 

 

• Heard from Hoosac Valley Regional Superintendent Aaron Dean about work that has been done or planned for the school buildings and the high school's new Pathways program. 

 

• Appointed Susan Denault as fence viewer for a one-year term to expire June 30, 2024, and Gregory Trottier and David Ronnow as per diem van drivers for the Adams Council on Aging, pending passing all training. 

 

Selectman John Duval questioned the high turnover of drivers; Council on Aging Director said the drivers tend to be retired and so do it for a few years until they want to fully retire. Town Administrator Jay Green said the switch to per diem drivers has provided for a larger pool than had been possible for salaried and scheduled employees. 

 

• Approved a one-day liquor license and a public entertainment license for the annual Polish Picnic on Sunday, Sept. 10, at the Polanka Grounds from noon to 5. 

 

• Approved a public entertainment license and an application to place signs in the public way for the Walk to End Alzheimer's Disease on Saturday, Sept. 30, from 9 to 2 at the Visitors Center.