| Published: May 6, 2015 | Last Modified: May 6, 2015 11:02AM
CHARLESTOWN — Police Sgt. Philip B. Gingerella has earned national recognition for his rescue of a boogie-boarder in distress under extremely dangerous conditions, including 12- to 14-foot waves and a strong riptide.
Gingerella, 38, a 17-year veteran of the force, was selected by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund as its officer of the month for April. The selection comes with recognition at a ceremony next year after all monthly recipients for 2015 are chosen.
Gingerella rescued Michael Novak, 55, of South Salem, N.Y., from rough water off Blue Shutters Beach on Aug. 13. Conditions were described as being similar to a hurricane. On shore, Novak’s wife saw that her husband was in desperate straits after she caught sight of him clinging to his boogie board. She said he was struggling as he tried to make it through the unyielding rip current 300 feet offshore.
When those on the scene were not immediately able to get to him, emergency personnel, including some from Charlestown Rescue and Dunn’s Corners Fire Department, were called to the scene. Gingerella, a former lifeguard and a strong swimmer, was also on the beach with rescue workers. Two rescue vessels were immediately called to the scene, but because of the rough conditions, they were delayed.
Discussing the rescue and his award on Monday, Gingerella said that as he watched the scene unfold he was aware of Novak’s situation becoming more critical as he grew weaker trying to fight the rip tide and waves. He knew the rescuers on the scene could not wait for the rescue boats to get into the water. Gingerella removed his uniform, body armor, gun belt and boots, donned a life jacket, attached himself to a rescue rope, grabbed a flotation device for Novak and headed in.
“Oh man, I shouldn’t be out here,” Gingerella said he was thinking as the conditions were getting increasingly bad.
And it got much worse before it was over. He said the waves and rip tide pulled him under several times. He said at certain points the sensation of being tossed up by the large waves and then pushed below the surface “felt like a sickening ride on an elevator.”
“Being out in it was a totally different experience,” Gingerella said, adding he was not ready for such an intense situation despite living near the water his entire life.
Gingerella gave Novak the flotation device and attached him to the safety rope. The two, with the aid of other rescue personnel, then made it in safely. He added that fellow officers Scot Campbell and Jim Patton provided critical aid during the rescue.
“But for Sgt. Gingerella’s immediate action, a human being may have died in the rough surf last summer. As many have heard me say before, actions such as Phil’s is what it truly means to serve the citizenry,” Police Chief Jeff Allen said. “When a police officer helps a fellow human being in need, whether it is a small act of kindness or an act of heroism, that is what it means to be a police officer. Because when an officer’s career is all said and done, he or she will be remembered for those they help more than how many arrests they have made.”
Gingerella emphasized that his daring rescue is just one of the dangerous situations that police face regularly. In this case, the danger happened to be 12- to 14-foot waves as the result of a large storm and a strong rip current.
Gingerella said it has been a “tough time for the cops around the country lately,” so he was “proud to show the positive side” of law enforcement.
Since the incident, Gingerella has received scores of written and verbal thanks for his bravery. Many of those notes and emails of congratulations have come from law enforcement officers from across the country.
One lifelong Gingerella booster was proud, but a little upset at the same time, with the sergeant. Gingerella and his wife, Erin, are the parents of 9-year-old twins, and Gingerella’s father, Michael, “had some choice words” for his son that night, Gingerella said. He added, however, that his father also admitted to being proud of the rescue and of the national recognition.
aalgier@thewesterlysun.com |
