Officers Honored For Annsville Creek Canoe Rescue

ANNSVILLE, NY — The New York state Department of Environmental Conservation honored two officers who rescued three people in an overturned canoe with its Division of Law Enforcement Lifesaving Award.

ECOs Charles Eyler and Craig Tompkins were performing fishing license checks at the Annsville Preserve in Peekskill in September, when they saw a canoe with two adults and a small child tip over in Annsville Creek.

The quick-thinking ECOs commandeered two kayaks from a nearby rental business and traveled about a half a mile up the creek. They found both adults standing in the water, while a 3-year-old child sat inside shivering.

ECOs Eyler and Tompkins put the child in their dry canoe, siphoned water out of the canoe that tipped over, and paddled the family back to safety.

The award is given to officers whose extraordinary actions saved, or attempted to save, the life of a fellow officer or member of the public.