Senate Resolution No. 547

BY: Senator PALUMBO

COMMENDING Frank Greenwood and William Renten upon
the occasion of their designation as recipients of a
Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an
individual by the New York State Senate

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
commend the caring concern and heroic acts of individuals who take
prompt and appropriate action in emergency situations, nobly risking
their own lives in an effort to preserve the life of another; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to commend Frank
Greenwood and William Renten upon the occasion of their designation as
recipients 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, Around 9 a.m. on Wednesday, January 25, 2023, Riverhead
Town Highway employees Frank Greenwood and William Renten were repairing
the sidewalk on Pulaski Street and Hamilton Avenue when they heard a
woman yelling and saw her pointing at them and their fellow workers; and

WHEREAS, Frank Greenwood and William Renten looked over and saw
flames coming from a second-floor window in an apartment above the
Western Union store; the men immediately ran over to the building, and
Frank yelled for someone to call 911 and inform the dispatcher there
were people inside; and

WHEREAS, Frank Greenwood and William Renten opened the door and
noticed the upstairs was completely covered in smoke and saw flames in
the back of the building; through the thick smoke, Frank and William saw
a woman on the stairs, and swiftly ran up and brought her down to safety
outside the burning house; and

WHEREAS, Frank Greenwood then turned around and saw a second elderly
woman in the corner window banging on the glass; he and William Renten
went back into the smoke-filled house and helped her get down the stairs
and out the door; and

WHEREAS, After safely extricating the two elderly women, Frank
Greenwood and William Renten went back into the house once again and
tried to put out the fire with extinguishers, however, it was too far
gone; and

WHEREAS, Frank Greenwood and William Renten, through their
spontaneous and heroic actions, demonstrated their character and their
compassion for the welfare of others, personifying, by virtue of their
actions, the collective concern of ordinary citizens across the
community of the State of New York who voluntarily respond when others
are in need of help; now, therefore, be it


RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend Frank Greenwood and William Renten upon the occasion of their
designation as recipients of a Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed
upon an individual by the New York State Senate; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Frank Greenwood and William Renten.