LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending eight teachers, nurses and administra-
tors of Herricks Middle School upon the occasion of their designation as
recipients of a Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an indi-
vidual by the New York State Senate

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
commend the concerned and heroic acts of those citizens who would volun-
tarily take immediate and appropriate action to protect the health and
safety of others; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to commend the eight
teachers, nurses and administrators of Herricks Middle School upon the
occasion of their designation as recipients of a Liberty Medal, the
highest honor bestowed upon an individual by the New York State Senate;
and
WHEREAS, The eight brave individuals include: Vice Principal Tom Aird,
Nurse Tracey Baumann, Physical Education Teacher Artie Friess, Physical
Education Teacher Dennis Horton, Principal Joan Keegan, Nurse Dana
Lieberman, Health Teacher Pam Seebald, and Physical Education Teacher
Joe Welsh; 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 September 14, 2016, Sanketh Kumar, an eighth-grader at
Herricks Middle School in Albertson, New York, suffered a heart attack
during his fourth-period gym class, and his teachers quickly banded
together to restart his heart on the school's track; and
WHEREAS, Students had been asked to do a two-minute jog that morning
in class, but Sanketh Kumar did not even make it around the track before
he fell to the ground; two students, noticing his hands were spasming,
alerted teachers Artie Friess and Joe Welsh, who called 911; and
WHEREAS, Nurse Tracey Baumann, was the first to reach the young boy
and found he was not breathing and had a weak pulse; his heart appeared
to have stopped; she then told Principal Joan Keegan, who was part of
the group that responded, to get the Automated External Defibrillator
(AED); and
WHEREAS, Responding to the dire situation, a second nurse, Dana
Lieberman, administered CPR until Joan Keegan and others brought out a
defibrillator; it took just one shock and Sanketh Kumar's heart began to
beat again; and
WHEREAS, After 10 days in the hospital, 13 year-old Sanketh Kumar, the
loving son of Gopal and Achala Kumar of Williston Park, New York, has
made a full recovery and will soon be able to play baseball, his favor-
ite sport; and
WHEREAS, Tom Aird, Tracey Baumann, Artie Friess, Dennis Horton, Joan
Keegan, Dana Lieberman, Pam Seebald, and Joe Welsh all demonstrated
uncommon courage and determination, acting with alert intelligence and a
genuine concern, to save the life of a young student; now, therefore, be
it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend eight teachers, nurses and administrators of Herricks Middle
School upon the occasion of their designation as recipients of a Liberty
Medal, noting the significance of their immediate and unconditional
response to come to the aid of another in a life-threatening situation;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the eight aforementioned honorees.