WESTFIELD, NJ — One man was pulled from rising floodwaters after becoming trapped in his vehicle, and a 75-year-old resident was revived after a medical emergency at a local business in two separate incidents that led to recognition for Westfield police officers and other first responders.
The incidents were highlighted during a Memorial Day ceremony on May 25, at the Westfield Fire Department.
In one case, Officer Markovy Jacques was part of a Rapid Storm Response Team deployment on July 14, 2025, during severe flooding near Forest Avenue and Seneca Place.
Officials said multiple vehicles were reported submerged in rising water, with concerns that people could be trapped inside. Responders entered chest-deep floodwaters to search the area.
They located an elderly man with mobility challenges inside a vehicle that had become stranded. Working in heavy rain and fast-moving water, responders used an inflatable rescue boat staged nearby to reach the vehicle and bring him to safety.
Additional personnel from the Westfield Fire Department, Public Works, and other certified water rescue team members also took part in the response.
In a separate incident on February, Officer Jordan Barham responded to a medical emergency at a business on the 400 block of West North Avenue involving a man who was not breathing.
Officials said a 75-year-old Westfield resident was found unconscious and in cardiac arrest. Officer Barham immediately began CPR upon arrival.
Firefighters and EMS from the Westfield Fire Department and Westfield Rescue Squad later arrived and used a defibrillator during the response. Officials said the man regained a pulse at the scene and was transported to Overlook Medical Center, where he later recovered.
Both officers were recognized alongside additional first responders involved in the incidents.
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