Senate Resolution No. 1152

BY: Senator KAMINSKY

COMMENDING Chief Brian Cook 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, It is incumbent upon the people of the State of New York to
recognize and acknowledge those within our midst who have made
significant contributions to the quality of life therein; and

WHEREAS, From time to time this Legislative Body takes note of
certain extraordinary individuals it wishes to recognize for their
valued contributions to the success and progress of society and publicly
acknowledge their endeavors which have enhanced the basic humanity among
us all; 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, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Chief Brian
Cook of the Rockville Centre Fire Department upon the occasion of his
designation as recipient of the Liberty Medal, the highest honor
bestowed upon an individual by the New York State Senate; and

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

WHEREAS, On numerous occasions Chief Brian Cook has heroically
performed, above and beyond the call of duty, those responsibilities
which define the task of fire protection; and

WHEREAS, On April 17, 2016, Chief Brian Cook arrived on the scene of
a motor vehicle accident at the intersection of Long Beach Road and
Lakeview Avenue; after being informed that the driver of one of the
vehicles was in cardiac arrest, Chief Cook, assisted by additional
members of the department, immediately began Cardiopulmonary
Resuscitation (CPR); after the patient had been stabilized, he was
transported to the hospital where he made a full recovery; and

WHEREAS, On June 16, 2016, Chief Brian Cook was the first responder
to arrive at an accident at the intersection of Sunrise Highway and N.
Forest Avenue; once again, he used his skills to quickly evaluate and
re-start the patient's heart, saving another person from certain death;
and

WHEREAS, For a third time, Chief Brian Cook was ready, willing and
available to help save a person's life; on January 26, 2016, he and
Firefighter/Paramedic Christopher Bossart diligently worked together to
save a 53-year-old male who was suffering from cardiac arrest; Chief

Cook performed CPR, and applied the AED, as well as ventilated the
patient with a BVM while his partner started an IV and assisted with
packing the patient for transport to the emergency department; through
their combined efforts, the patient made a full recovery from this
incident; 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;
on many occasions, Chief Brian Cook has acted with bravery and steady
precision in dealing with the risk and drama of emergency situations;
and

WHEREAS, Chief Brian Cook should be regarded as a true hero; he has
continually devoted himself to public service, demonstrating great
courage and diligence in providing for the care and welfare of the
citizens of their communities and this great Empire State; and

WHEREAS, Praised for maintaining his composure and his professional
conduct, Chief Brian Cook demonstrated his true character and genuine
compassion for the welfare of others; and

WHEREAS, Within every community of the State of New York there are
certain individuals who, by virtue of their commitment and dedication,
command the respect and admiration of their community for their
exemplary contributions and service on behalf of others; Chief Brian
Cook is one such individual; and

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body that those
dedicated public servants who unselfishly devote their lives to the
preservation of order and the protection of others are worthy and due
full praise for their commitment and noble endeavors; now, therefore, be
it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Chief Brian Cook 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 Chief Brian Cook.