Senate Resolution No. 1721

BY: Senator STEC

COMMENDING Corey Howe upon the occasion of his
designation as recipient of a Liberty Medal, the
highest honor bestowed upon an individual by the New
York State Senate

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
commend the caring concern and heroic acts of individuals who take
prompt and appropriate action in emergency situations, nobly risking
their own lives in an effort to preserve the life of another; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commend Corey Howe upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of
a Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an individual by the
New York State Senate; and

WHEREAS, The New York State Senate Liberty Medal was established by
Resolution and is awarded to individuals who have merited special
commendation for exceptional, heroic, or humanitarian acts on behalf of
their fellow New Yorkers; and

WHEREAS, On the evening of September 25, 2023, in St. Huberts, New
York, Corey Howe, a former member of the Marine Corps, had ended his
usual UPS route from Plattsburgh to Elizabethtown and Keene Valley in an
unusual way, by heroically saving a man's life; and

WHEREAS, With a 25-year long career driving for UPS, Corey Howe was
the first person on the scene as a tanker truck rolled over on its side
on the stretch of State Route 73 between Round Pond and Chapel Pond; the
overturned tanker blocked both lanes of traffic and spilled an estimated
3,500 gallons of asphalt emulsion and 35 gallons of diesel onto the
roadway; and

WHEREAS, With dust filling the air on the scene, Corey Howe
immediately became concerned with the condition of the driver; he rushed
to the wreck and thankfully, was able to sustain the driver, who had
suffered non-life threatening injuries from the crash; and

WHEREAS, When Corey Howe initially approached the scene, the driver
was still trapped inside of the cab of the truck and diesel was leaking
around the crash site; before the situation intensified, he made it to
the front of the vehicle and pulled the windshield, then with his knife
he cut the rubber blocking his view of the driver; and

WHEREAS, Knowing a fire could break out any moment from the spilled
fuel and damaged truck, Corey Howe cut the driver's seatbelt and bearhug
lifted him from danger, where a doctor bystander assessed his injuries
in a safe spot down the road; and

WHEREAS, Suddenly, Corey Howe rushed back to his UPS truck to grab
the fire extinguisher as a fire broke out at the crash site; he
extinguished the small fire in the cab of the truck and then waited for
troopers and firefighters to arrive on the scene; and


WHEREAS, Aside from his military training, Corey Howe credits UPS
for properly equipping him to deal with emergencies; he is a member of
the safety committee at UPS Plattsburgh and helps train new drivers in
safety; and

WHEREAS, Beyond making deliveries, Corey Howe is a husband and
father; he has been married to his wife, Dana, for 25 years and their
21-year-old twins, Evan and Tanner, both also work at UPS; and

WHEREAS, Justly recognized as a hero, Corey Howe richly merits the
admiration of this Legislative Body and his community for his
consummate, swift action in saving the life of this driver; and

WHEREAS, Moreover, Corey Howe should be meritoriously commended for
remaining calm under pressure and for showing valor and true courage
while performing a lifesaving deed; and

WHEREAS, Corey Howe, in his spontaneous and heroic act, has so aptly
demonstrated his character and compassion for the welfare of others,
personifying, by virtue of his action, the collective concern of
ordinary citizens across the community of New York State who voluntarily
respond without thought of danger or reward when others are in need of
help; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend Corey Howe upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of
a Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an individual by the
New York State Senate; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Corey Howe.