The South Windsor Fire Department announced that it received a Paratech Rescue Award for a sophisticated technical rescue operation in response to a recent Halloween incident. The driver's head was pinned between the driver's door and the ground in a single-vehicle rollover collision. The patient was securely extricated by department members using Paratech rescue equipment, showcasing their advanced technical rescue skills and well-coordinated operations.

The department's Rescue Squad was founded in 1973 by members who saw the necessity for a specialized rescue team, and this incident demonstrates the squad's ongoing significance. Among the founders were Joe Katzbek, David Papp, George Cox, Patrick Hankard, and others. In order to sustain the unit's efficacy, the agency has continued to invest in equipment and training even as rescue technology and vehicle building have advanced.

Tim Papp and Dan Katzbek are among the second generation of leaders leading the Rescue Squad today, carrying on the tradition of service. The South Windsor Fire Department commended all members of the Rescue Squad—past and present—on this well-deserved honor.