Vernon DPW Staffers Save Young Student's Water Bottle From Storm Drain

VERNON, CT — Two Vernon Department of Public Works staffers were able to rescue a local kindergarten student's prized water bottle this week after it rolled into a storm drain.

Monday was a typical beginning of the week for the Fortin family. Matthew needed to get on the bus and to kindergarten at Center Road School. Avery needed to go to her grandparents' house so mom and dad, Michael and Stephanie, could get to work.

But while Matthew was at the bus stop, he favorite water bottle, adorned with his favorite stickers, fell out of his backpack and rolled into a storm drain.

He was was distraught.

Michael Fortin said there was not time to console his son because the bus had arrived.

"He was in tears, but I told him it was going to be OK," Michael said.

Even Avery was crying.

Michael had an idea as he packed Avery into the car for the ride to the grandparents. He stopped at the Vernon Public Works office and told administrative assistant Brenda Laprade what happened. She took down the details and shared them with Steve Scaramella and Shaun Tellier, both DPW foremen.

Steve and Shaun had just given out work assignments for the day and were getting
ready to visit work sites. They penciled in an extra trip.

"I said, 'Yeah, we'll go up and get it out,'" Tellier said. "We were concerned when we learned the kid was on the bus crying."

He and Scaramella drove to the bus stop, pulled the iron grate off the catch basin and were able to reach in and retrieve the water bottle.

As they were putting the grate back in place, Matthew's grandfather drove by and the two handed the bottle over to him to deliver to Matthew.

Matthew's dad was looking around his garage for something he could use to reach into
the storm drain to retrieve the bottle when it arrived back at the house. Michael said he cleaned it up, took it to Center Road School and handed it over to a very happy Matthew.

"Crisis averted before 8:30 in the morning," Michael said.

The next morning, Matthew and his dad stopped by the DPW to deliver a thank you card to Scaramella and Tellier.

Both men said they were happy to help out. Brenda gave Matthew a replica Vernon Public Works hard hat, which he showed off at school later that day.

"Make a kid happy? We can do that," Tellier said.