Sgt. Donna Malloy congratulates Officer Michael Wandrei.
ADAMS, Mass. — The town recognized Officers Michael Wandrei and Joshua Baker who helped deliver a baby in March.
Town officials held a small ceremony Monday at Town Hall to recognize the officers who helped resident Jayme Pulasky give birth to her daughter, Calla.
"We want to raise our department up because it only raises our town up. When you have a valuable asset like this and they do something like this you need to put it out there and let everybody know," Police Chief Scott Kelley said. "I know because they are humble they won't say it, but I know they are proud of what they did. This is a great thing to be part of something like this. They do it every single day. I am proud to be their chief."
Kelley said both officers responded to the Hoosac Street medical call on March 11 at 8:55 p.m. He said the officers found that Pulasky was actively in labor.
"They were first on scene and found she was indeed in labor," he said.
He said Wandrei stayed with Pulasky while Baker cleared the way for an incoming ambulance and other emergency services.
"Officer Wandrei was a calming presence assisting in any way he could with the delivery of the child as being the only emergency service person there at the time," Kelley said. "Baker then started taking measures to ensure that all parties made it safely from the house to the waiting ambulance. This included chipping ice, shoveling snow, removing debris to make it safe."
He said baby Calla was born healthy at 9:08 p.m., 13 minutes after the officers were dispatched.
"Both officers assisted in moving mom and child from the residence," he said.
Sgt. Donna Malloy, who organized the ceremony and brought the case to Kelley, gave each officer a "Stork Award" certificate and a pin.
Kelley, originally from South Carolina, said he has been impressed since he came on the job in January by Adams' officers and their commitment to the community.
"Since my arrival, I have seen these police officers go above and beyond in the community every single day," Kelley said. "That tells me that the officers in this department love this community, and we will continue to celebrate occasions like this."
Town Administrator Jay Green agreed and said it is important for the public to see that every single officer is a member of the community and cares for it
"It is important for a smaller community like ours to let people see and appreciate when they see the black-and-white or an officer in uniform," he said. "It doesn't mean that behind that uniform, behind that tactical vest and the tools of the job that there isn't someone that cares about the public and cares about the person in front of them."
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Adams Free Library Pastel Painting Workshops
ADAMS, Mass. — Award-winning pastel artist Gregory Maichack will present three separate pastel painting workshops for adults and teens 16+, to be hosted by the Adams Free Library.
Wednesday, April 24 The Sunflower; Wednesday, May 8 Jimson Weed; and Thursday, May 23 Calla Turned Away from 10:00 a.m. to noon.
Registration is required for each event. Library events are free and open to the public.
These programs are funded by a Festivals and Projects grant of the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
This workshop is designed for participants of all skill levels, from beginner to advanced. Attendees will create a personalized, original pastel painting based on Georgia O’Keefe’s beautiful pastel renditions of The Sunflower, Jimson Weed and Calla Turned Away. All materials will be supplied. Seating may fill quickly, so please call 413-743-8345 to register for these free classes.
Maichack is an award-winning portraitist and painter working primarily in pastels living in the Berkshires. He has taught as a member of the faculty of the Museum School in Springfield, as well as at Greenfield and Holyoke Community College, Westfield State, and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.
The Adams Beautification group, which has been quietly sprucing up the town since 2022, hopes to bring in more members of the community during a community cleanup day scheduled for Saturday, April 27. click for more
Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public School history teacher Alla Chelukhova has been selected as the April Teacher of the Month. click for more
Desroches graduated from the Police Academy on March 22 in the top tier in his class. He's currently in the field training program and assigned to Sgt. Curtis Crane.
click for more
Michael Wynn, who was selected in January to run the center, submitted a level operating budget of $57,500 but said he could pull funding from different lines to ensure there was money for advertising this fall.
click for more