Sanit Honors Its Bravest And Promotes Its Best; Also Inducts 362 Rookies

Mayor Bloomberg and Sanitation Commissioner John J. Doherty Nov. 13 presented awards to 17 employees for acts of bravery at the Department of Sanitation's Annual Awards Ceremony.

Sanitation Department Photo OUT-OF-TITLE HEROISM: Sanitation Workers Matthew Mahoney (second from left) and Monroe Folks are flanked by Assistant Chief Alfred Ferguson and Commissioner John J. Doherty after being presented with the department's Gold Medal of Honor for saving the life of a woman who was accidentally run over by a bus.

Twenty-seven-year veteran Philip Marino was promoted to three-star Chief of Department and 38-year employee Harry Szarpanski became the new Deputy Commissioner of the Bureau of Long-Term Export.

362 Sworn In

In addition, 319 newly hired Sanitation Workers and 43 newly hired Sanitation Enforcement Agents were administered the oath of office. A unit citation was given to the Department's Permit and Inspection Unit, and nearly 200 promotions were made to the ranks of General Superintendent, Sanitation Supervisor, Sanitation Police Lieutenant and Police Officer, Sanitation Enforcement Captain and Sanitation Enforcement Sergeant at a ceremony held at the Walt Whitman Theater at Brooklyn College.

"The Department of Sanitation is truly New York's Strongest," said Mayor Bloomberg. "The fact that the Sanitation Department holds its graduation and promotion ceremonies together is special, because it allows the men and women who are just starting out to be inspired by those reaching the top of their profession, and it allows veteran members of the department to remember how far they've come. We are grateful for the monumental job the department does every day keeping New York City clean, safe and moving."

Commissioner Doherty said, "I am honored to lead this department with its long tradition of history and excellence. The job that the 319 newest Sanitation Workers take on and the added responsibilities of our new supervisory personnel will ensure Sanitation's place as an efficient and effective city agency. Often the members of the department are the eyes and ears of the communities we serve, responding to cries for help and summoning assistance. We perform a gritty but essential service that all our members of the 'sanitation family' can be proud of."

Marino's Achievements

Chief Marino joined the DSNY in 1981 as a Sanitation Worker assigned to the Manhattan 7 District Garage, which covers Manhattan Valley, the Upper West Side, and Lincoln Square. He rose steadily through the ranks to various supervisory positions covering many facets of the DSNY, including tenure as Bronx Borough Chief in charge of all refuse and recycling collections, street cleaning, and snow removal services in the borough. Chief Marino most recently was Special Assistant to First Deputy Commissioner Michael A. Bimonte. Among his many achievements, Chief Marino served as the department's liaison to the Office of Emergency Management following the terrorist attacks in 2001, and helped secure a 40-year agreement with Gateway National Park for the site at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, which is now home to the DSNY's Ronald A. DeCarlo Training Center.

As Deputy Commissioner in charge of the Bureau of Long Term Export, Mr. Szarpanski continues the ongoing full implementation of the city's Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP), which was overwhelmingly adopted by the City Council and approved by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in 2006. The SWMP provides an efficient and environmentally sound method for handling the city's waste for the next 20 years. During his tenure as Assistant Commissioner, Mr. Szarpanski was instrumental in developing and securing approvals for the SWMP. As Director of Special Projects, he managed the planning and implementation of major departmental programs including the gas recovery and emissions control project at the Fresh Kills landfill, the Rikers Island food waste composting facility, and the Fresh Kills compost facility.

Nailed Illegal Dumper

The department's prestigious unit citation was awarded to the Permit and Inspection Unit (PIU) for its investigation and subsequent arrest of Darren Miller who was charged with using acres of publicly owned property located in Brooklyn as an illegal dumpsite for dirt, rock, asphalt, construction and demolition debris, and derelict and stolen vehicles. The PIU was formed in the mid-1980s to serve as a liaison to the New York City carting industry. Since then, its role has expanded to include the permitting and enforcement of solid waste transfer stations and fill material operations. The unit plays a major role in combating illegal dumping and prevents the inappropriate placement of unclean fill material at construction sites throughout the city.

Sanitation Workers Monroe Folks and Matthew Mahoney of Queens West 3 were among the Gold Medal of Honor recipients. On Oct. 23, 2007, while completing their relay duty, they were stopped at a light on Roosevelt Ave. in Queens when they observed a city bus make a left turn and hit an elderly female pedestrian who was attempting to cross the street. The two men jumped out of their truck and stopped the Bus Operator from moving any further. They instructed him to back up a few feet to free the woman's leg, which was trapped underneath the left front tire. Sanitation Worker Folks called 911 and the two of them administered first aid, saving the woman's life.

Apprehended Armed Robbers

Similar honors were given to Sanitation Workers Patrick Crocitto and Frank Russo of Staten Island 1. On Jan. 31, 2008, while replacing litter baskets, they chased a suspect who had allegedly robbed a liquor store at gunpoint and stole $186. The Sanitation Workers pursued the suspect in their truck, pulled ahead of him, jumped out, restrained him, and returned the money to the merchant. The suspect wriggled free but was later apprehended by police based on the description from the Sanitation Workers. A handgun was also recovered.

Their co-workers at S.I. I, Sanitation Workers Richard Mahinka, John Matalas, and William Soto, were given gold medals for their response on Sept. 4, when, while carpooling to work, they noticed smoke coming from an apartment building. Immediately, they stopped the vehicle, ran into the building, and pounded on the doors, shouting "Fire, Fire." Sanitation Workers Matalas and Soto helped 10 residents leave the burning building while Mr. Mahinka called 911. It took 100 firefighters to extinguish the smoky, two-alarm blaze. All three Sanitation Workers reported to work on time to complete their assigned collection duties.

A Bronze Medal of Honor went to Supervisor Horace Edwards of Brooklyn North 4. On Jan. 9 this year, while on patrol, Supervisor Edwards caught an assailant who had snatched a woman's pocketbook. He chased the suspect and got him to drop the pocket book, which was returned to the victim.

Saved Colleague's Life

Sanitation Worker Mark Lopez of Queens West 5 also was awarded a Bronze Medal of Honor for helping save a co-worker's life. On March 20, 2008, as Sanitation Worker Frank Ferraro was exiting his collection truck, the sandwich that he was eating became lodged in his throat, causing him to choke. He lost consciousness and fell to the ground. Sanitation Worker Lopez along with DCAS Maintenance Worker Kenneth Philips and Allied Barton Security Supervisor Alcides Perez, Jr. administered the Heimlich Maneuver to Mr. Ferraro and dislodged the food from his throat.

Distinguished Service Certificates were presented to Sanitation Police Officers Richard Quinlan and Vincent Slavik of the Enforcement Division. On June 5, 2007, while on patrol in Bensonhurst for canine waste law violations, SPOs Quinlan and Slavik observed three males engaged in the illegal dumping of several white bags from an SUV. Upon checking the license plates, it was determined that the vehicle was stolen. As the SPOs were issuing the summonses, the males stated that the SUV owner was urinating against a wall. When they approached the suspect to give him a summons, he fled across the Belt Parkway and attempted to carjack a vehicle belonging to an off-duty FDNY Lieutenant who restrained the suspect until the SPOs arrived on the scene. Since the suspect claimed to have been hit by a car, the FDNY EMS took him to a local hospital. While SPO Slavik was at the hospital safeguarding the suspect, he discovered among his belongings crack cocaine and a crack pipe. An NYPD Detective interviewed the suspect and discovered that he had outstanding warrants for prior carjacking incidents in June 2007.

Caught Cocaine Traffickers

Two other Enforcement Division SPOs, Joseph Perrone and Michael Grossman, also received Distinguished Service Certificates. On Oct. 2, 2007, while heading home on Brooklyn's Shore Parkway, Mr. Grossman observed an automobile with out-of-state plates driving the wrong way on Shore Parkway almost collide head on with SPO Perrone's car. Both cars swerved to avoid the collision. One of the occupants from the other car jumped out, opened the trunk, and threw a large black bag over a nearby fence along the Belt Parkway. As the suspect returned to his car and attempted to drive away, Mr. Perrone exited his vehicle, identified himself, and ran after him. The driver was ordered out of his car and handcuffed by Mr. Grossman. It was later determined that the two suspects had attempted to evade the police and had thrown a large bag of cocaine over the fence.

The Distinguished Service Certificates were also presented to Sanitation Workers James Lee and Dmitry Bandoylo of Brooklyn South 15. On Dec. 29, 2007, while performing regular garbage collection, Sanitation Worker Lee witnessed and prevented the assault of an NYPD Traffic Field Agent. Sanitation Worker Lee identified the suspect in the assault at the 62nd Precinct.

Sanitation Workers Theodore Israel and John Kase of Queens East 14 were the final recipients. On April 28, 2008, while on litter basket collection, the crew observed a little girl and her mother standing on the corner of Rockaway Blvd. Mr. Israel noticed an apartment on fire. The Sanitation Workers gave their uniform coats to the mother and child and allowed them to sit in the truck cab until the Fire Department arrived to put out the fire. FDNY EMS arrived and transported the mother and child to the hospital.