Defibrillator is a memorial
to officer who died on the job
By Eve Sullivan, The ADVOCATE
May 18th, 2005
STAMFORD -- A defibrillator was placed behind the
front desk at Stamford police headquarters yesterday
in memory of Sgt. James Delano, who suffered a heart
attack while working there in December and later died.
His mother, Kathleen Delano, put the defibrillator
in a glass case printed with her son's name and the
years that he worked on the police force, 1978 to
2004.
"God bless all who use this," Delano said.
His sister, Kathleen Minieri, then read from a plaque
that will be placed in headquarters in the sergeant's
honor.
Delano collapsed while on duty Dec. 28, 2004. Neither
CPR nor a defibrillator were available until emergency
medical workers arrived, Minieri said.
Kathleen Delano then kissed her fingers, turned and
touched a photograph of her son, which hangs on the
wall near the front desk. She then broke down crying.
"He loved you all," she told the crowd.
"This was his home away from home."
The dedication was held at the end of the annual
Stamford Police Department Law Enforcement Memorial,
a ceremony to honor police officers who died in the
line of duty.
Delano is considered to have died on the job, rather
than in the line of duty, police said.
Delano's death was a "terrible tragedy"
but good came out of it, Chief Brent Larrabee said,
because officers now are trained to use a defibrillator.
Maria DiGiovanni, medical director of Cheytac Associates,
gave the defibrillator to the police department in
January after Delano died. She knew Delano and said
she is upset that a defibrillator was not available.
"As an (emergency room) doctor, I know defibrillation
is key," she said.
When emergency workers arrived, they used a defibrillator
on Delano but it was too late because he was brain
dead, DiGiovanni said. A defibrillator, which costs
$1,500 to $2,000, must be used early during a heart
attack, she said.
During the police memorial service, Lt. Frank Cronin
said an average of 159 police officers die in the
line of duty each year in the United States.
"Their sacrifices were made to make your lives
a little safer," Cronin said.
U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Bridgeport, sent a
letter thanking officers for their service. Moira
Lyons of Stamford, former speaker of the state House
of Representatives, spoke.
"We don't thank you enough for all that you've
done," Lyons said.
Officer Michael Merenda, president of the Stamford
Police Association, said each day people leave for
work with the intention of returning home, but when
police officers say goodbye to their loved ones, they
know they might not.
Police officials from Stamford, Norwalk, Darien,
New Canaan and Greenwich then read the names of the
fallen officers; each was followed by a drumroll.
The Stamford officers are Officer George Kelley,
who died in a motorcycle accident in 1938; Officer
Andrew Schlechtweg, who died in a separate motorcycle
accident in 1938; Officer David Troy, who was gunned
down while responding to a robbery in 1960; and Officer
William McNamara, who was killed by friendly fire
while responding to a liquor store robbery in 1973.
The Norwalk officers are Sgt. Frank Stratton, who
was struck by a car during a motor vehicle stop in
1930; Officer Sherrald Gorton, who was struck by a
dump truck in 1962; Sgt. Nicholas Fera, who was shot
while responding to a robbery in 1971; and Officer
Marco Carias, who was involved in a motor vehicle
accident while driving an undercover police car in
1982.
The Darien officers are Officer William Bowman, who
was struck by a motorcycle while directing traffic
in 1927; and Officer Kenneth Bateman, who was shot
while responding to a robbery in 1981.
In New Canaan, Chief Louis Drucker was shot while
entering a house with an arrest warrant for a bootlegger
in 1888; and Officer James Martin was electrocuted
by a wire while responding to a motor vehicle accident
in 1991.
The Greenwich officers are Detective James Butler,
killed in 1954; Officer Joseph McCormack, killed in
1944; and Officer William Robbins, killed in 1929.
The department's honor guard placed a wreath by the
flagpole outside headquarters, where a monument was
erected in 1998. Firefighter Terry Shay played "Amazing
Grace" on bagpipes, and a new flag was added
to the pole.
The flag was lowed to half-staff as a 21-gun salute
was fired and Stamford High School students played
"Taps" on their trumpets. |
