Crime & Safety
Without Rescue Training, 2 Saved 6 From Ida Floodwaters In Livingston
Two law enforcement officers were honored for saving Livingston officers and civilians during Tropical Depression Ida in September.
LIVINGSTON, NJ — Livingston Fire Chief Christopher Mullin and Police Officer Matthew DeBiasse won Valor Awards at a ceremony on May 10 for saving multiple people during Tropical Depression Ida on Sept. 1.
The awards were part of the annual Essex County Valor Awards ceremony run by the Two Hundred Club of Essex County.
Mullin and DeBiasse rescued "two civilians, three police officers, and one assistant fire chief from
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raging waters caused by Tropical Storm Ida, without the benefit of any formal rapid water rescue training, equipment, or specialized gear," noted the Two Hundred Club.
Essex County Sheriff Armando Fonoura, a member of the Two Hundred Club's Board of Trustees, said, “While everyone was at home working virtually for the past two years because of the pandemic, these fine police officers, firefighters, and first responders did not have that luxury. They had to show up."
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He added, "The public expected them to show up, protect, and respond to their calls for service. Thankfully, and without regard to their own safety, they responded magnificently."
Since its inception, The Two Hundred Club of Essex County has raised over $2 million to support the spouses of fallen officers and fund college scholarships for their children.
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