Senate Resolution No. 1323

BY: Senator GRIFFO

COMMENDING Lieutenant Brian Townsend upon the
occasion of his designation as recipient of a
Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an
individual by the New York State Senate

WHEREAS, Citizens across the State of New York are inspired by and
indebted to our noble firefighters who exhibit courage and bravery every
day in the course of their duties; and

WHEREAS, New York State firefighters exemplify the power of human
compassion and the strength of the American spirit through actions of
the most heroic magnitude; their sacrifices and their selfless
dedication merit tribute and recognition by all citizens of this great
Nation; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to commend Lieutenant
Brian Townsend upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of a
Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an individual by the New
York State Senate; and

WHEREAS, The New York State Senate Liberty Medal was established by
Resolution and is awarded to individuals who have merited special
commendation for exceptional, heroic, or humanitarian acts on behalf of
their fellow New Yorkers; and

WHEREAS, On the evening of September 12, 2020, Lieutenant Brian
Townsend, a 15-year veteran of the Rome Fire Department, was off-duty at
a camp with his family when he was made aware that two boats had
collided at nearby Fourth Lake in Herkimer County; and

WHEREAS, Without hesitation or regard for his own safety, Lieutenant
Brian Townsend rushed to the scene where a 22-year-old man crashed his
ski boat into a pontoon boat, which had five people on board, including
two young children; and

WHEREAS, As one of the first on the scene, Lieutenant Brian Townsend
began triage and treatment of four critically injured people, and was
there to manage the scene to ensure the Town of Webb Police Officers
were able to focus on other critical tasks; and

WHEREAS, In recognition of his astute actions, Lieutenant Brian
Townsend was named Firefighter of the Year by the Oneida County Fire
Chiefs Association on Thursday, September 9, 2021, in Verona, New York;
and

WHEREAS, A truly brave and courageous man, Lieutenant Brian Townsend
played a vital role in this extraordinary rescue effort, and should be
praised by the people of this great Empire State for his selfless
actions in attempting to preserve the life of another; and

WHEREAS, Lieutenant Brian Townsend, in his spontaneous and heroic
act, has so aptly demonstrated his character and compassion for the
welfare of others, personifying, by virtue of his action, the collective

concern of first responders across the community of New York State who
voluntarily respond without thought of danger or reward when others are
in need of help; and

WHEREAS, Firefighters unwaveringly serve our great State with pride,
valor, and integrity; these respected men and women are often the first
to respond to an emergency, whether the emergency is a fire, an
accident, natural disaster, act of terrorism, medical crisis, or spill
of hazardous materials; and

WHEREAS, It takes a special dedication, a strong desire to help
others and a tireless sense of community to forsake precious time with
family and friends to respond to the signal that a neighbor is in need;
Lieutenant Brian Townsend is such a firefighter; he heroically performs,
above and beyond the call of duty, those responsibilities which define
the task of fire protection; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend Lieutenant Brian Townsend upon the occasion of his designation
as recipient of a Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an
individual by the New York State Senate; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Lieutenant Brian Townsend.