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IDAHO STATE POLICE NEWS RELEASE
ISP CVS Headquarters
700 S. Stratford Drive
Meridian, ID 83642
Idaho State Police News Release
For Immediate Release - 03/19/12 11:15 AM
For Information: Contact: Captain Bill Reese
(208) 884-7220
ISP Senior Specialist Tom Wright Awarded the Silver Star
Idaho State Police Senior Specialist Tom Wright will be awarded the Silver Star on Tuesday, March 20, 2012, at 7:45 a.m. in Classroom A at the Peace Officers Standards and Training Academy on the Idaho State Police Campus, located at 700 S. Stratford Drive in Meridian. The media is invited to attend.
On August 12, 2011, Senior Specialist Wright was enjoying a family vacation in Croghan, New York. While swimming in the Beaver River, Senior Specialist Wright saw a man and two boys swimming in a pool downstream. A short-time later, he heard panicked calls for help coming from the group downstream. He noticed there were now only two people at the pool; one of the boys was missing.
Without hesitation, Senior Specialist Wright and his niece, who is a certified lifeguard, rushed to the area and began an underwater search for the missing youth. Shortly after beginning their search, his niece saw a hand in the water near the bottom of the river. Senior Specialist Wright dove eight feet to the bottom, found the boy, retrieved him, and rushed the unresponsive boy to the riverbank. There, Senior Specialist Wright and his niece performed CPR until a New York State Trooper and an EMS responder arrived. Attempts to revive the boy using an AED were unsuccessful, so Senior Specialist Wright and his niece continued to administer CPR for another 15 minutes until relieved by medical personnel.
The 14 year old boy was on vacation in New York with his family from England. He was transported to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Although unable to revive the young man, Senior Specialist Wright selflessly faced great danger in his effort to recover him from the river, and worked diligently to revive him. Senior Specialist Wright's actions were in accordance with the highest ideal of professional public service, and deserving of this Silver Star Award.
Senior Specialist Wright is currently assigned to the District 5 ISP office in Pocatello, where he serves as a Hazardous Materials Specialist.
For additional information, please contact Captain Bill Reese at (208) 884-7220.
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