By C1 Staff
WEST BOYLSTON, Mass. — Two Worcester County deputies were awarded the American Correctional Association Life Saving Award for their assistance at a motor vehicle accident while transporting inmates to and from the West Boylston Jail.
The Worchester County Sheriff’s website reports that deputies Frank Crosby and Robert Noonan pulled over during a transport after seeing a truck that had rolled over on the side of the road.
Crosby remained with the three inmates they had been transporting while Noonan attempted to free the driver and douse flames erupting from the vehicle.
About 15 to 20 minutes later, emergency personnel arrived and took over the scene. The driver succumbed to his injuries at the crash site.
Sheriff Lewis G. Evangelidis called their efforts at the scene ‘nothing short of heroic’ and said their actions reflected well on the department.
“The important thing I’d like people to understand is how hard correctional officers work … Everybody in law enforcement works hard, but sometimes correctional officers aren’t recognized in that way,” he said. “This is an example of correctional officers going above and beyond the call of duty.”