First-Line Supervisors, First-Rate Heroic Acts; SBA Honors Its Own
By TOMMY HALLISSEY
Sgt. Donald Abrams was working in Manhattan in March with the NYPD's Hercules command when an almost 20-story crane fell into a 25-story building on East 51st Street, ultimately killing seven people and injuring many others. After hearing the thunderous crash, he was part of the first NYPD unit on the scene.

The Chief-Leader/Adrienne Haywood-James RESCUERS REWARDED: Sgts. Donald Abrams (left) and Keith Taylor hoist statues given to them by Sergeants Benevolent Association President Edward Mullins to honor their work in rescuing two men who had been trapped beneath debris in March following the crane collapse that killed seven people.

Another officer in Emergency Service Squad 1 noticed the bottom half of a man sticking out from the rubble and debris. "He was on the pile like a dart," said Sergeant Abrams, who was honored Sept. 18 at a Sergeant of the Month ceremony given by the Sergeants Benevolent Association. "His legs were in the air."

One Save Led to Another

The first-responders on the scene dug through the debris and pulled the man out alive. The man told Sergeant Abrams about other victims who were nearby. They found another man trapped in a pile about 30 feet deep. Emergency Services Unit had voice contact with the victim, but Sergeant Abrams had trouble believing anyone could survive trapped so far down a hole. "At that point it didn't look like it," he said.

"Incredulous would really be the word," said Sgt. Keith Taylor of ESU's Weapons of Mass Destruction Unit, who was also honored as a Sergeant of the Month for his heroics in the crane collapse rescue.

"It was gratifying that my guys got the victim out and no one was injured," he said. "The most important thing is making sure the personnel is safe, and rendering aid to the victims is gratifying as well. The difficult part is not knowing how many victims are in the building."

Sgt. Edward Allen of ESS 8 was also honored for bravery that day, but he could not make the luncheon in Brooklyn.

"This is a day we get to honor all of you who have committed yourselves to this city," said SBA President Edward Mullins. "We notice more and more often Sergeants are getting involved in serious police work. We want to thank you."

Two Sets of Collars

Mr. Mullins handed each of the 18 honorees a stunning replica of a statue — of a police officer with one arm around the American flag and another around a young boy — that is now on display in the lobby of One Police Plaza. Among them was Sgt. Thomas Kid, who earned Sergeant of the Month accolades working in the Narcotics Borough Bronx Tactical Response Team. After executing a search warrant, unit members were transporting four prisoners when they witnessed shots fired at East 149th St. and 3rd Ave. The officers chased down the shooter and arrested him. Detectives were able to break the shooter, who told them the gunfire was in retaliation for a prior shooting, which helped police collar four more suspects.

"There's a lot of history to this statue," said Sergeant Kid, clutching one at a luncheon on the Brooklyn waterfront. "I never thought I'd carry one home."

As a child, Sergeant Kid first saw the statue in trips to Police Camp with his father upstate, where it was once displayed. Today, he has a son of his own, who thought the boy in the statue, modeled after Mayor LaGuardia's son, Eric, looked familiar.

"That's me, daddy," the boy said. "The SBA, they're aces to do this," Sergeant Kid remarked.