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Honored

Putnam Police Department Officer Brian Castle, center, was honored by the Putnam Rotary Club last week for saving the life of a man trapped in a fire in a house on Grove Street. On the right is Rotarian Ronald P. Coderre and on the left is Club President-Elect Delpha Very. Linda Lemmon photo.

 

Special to Putnam Town Crier

The Putnam Rotary Club accorded special recognition to Putnam Police Officer Brian Castle at its regular weekly meeting April 14 at J.D. Cooper’s Restaurant.  Castle, who is one of the canine officers on the Putnam Police Department, was the guest of veteran Rotarian Ronald P. Coderre.  Castle was accompanied by his wife Danielle and his daughters Chelsey and Leah.  Deputy Chief Lee Konicki was also in attendance.. 

On Jan. 19 Putnam Police Officer Brian Castle working the midnight shift responded to a 911 call to a home on Grove Street that was fully engulfed in flames.  Upon his arrival, Officer Castle was informed by bystanders that there were people in the building.

The 12-year officer of the force instinctively swung into action.  He broke into the home and crawled beneath the smoke line with the fire crackling intensely, where he reached the injured man.  Recognizing that the individual was alive he dragged him to safety outside the home, saving the man’s life.

Two nights later, Officer Castle responded to the same area where an automobile had catapulted into a home demolishing that portion of the house.  After assuring the safety of the occupants, he was told that the family dog was trapped in the debris.  Once again, Officer Castle, risking his life, sprang into action rescuing the family canine.

When asked if he’d do these actions again, Officer Castle responded an emphatic “Absolutely.”

 “I’ve been a firefighter and paramedic in my career so I simply act instinctively in these type situations.  This is what police work is about.  Some days you ask yourself ‘why?’  And then there are days that are very rewarding,” said Castle.

In addition to speaking about the incidents that occurred in January, Officer Castle had his police dog Ammo with him.  He showed a brief video of the rigorous training that he and Ammo went through to become certified. Rotary Club President-elect Delpha Very presented Castle with a plaque recognizing his “Heroism in the Line of Duty.”