BDOs recognized in House of Representatives
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On May 8, 2014 two Members of Congress, Representative Carolyn McCarthy and Representative Grace Meng spoke on the House floor to recognize BDOs from New York.
In her speech titled “Tribute to Michael Dougherty” Representative Carolyn McCarthy stated:
“Mr. Speaker, it is always an honor to take note of a public servant who goes above and beyond the official description of their job. One such person is a constituent of mine, Michael Dougherty. Officer Dougherty and a colleague came to the aid of a man suffering a seizure and they acted to save his life. Michael Dougherty and his colleague Paul Markowski are Behavior Detection Officers at La Guardia Airport in Queens, NY. They were headed across the parking lot on April 13th after their shifts when they saw a man signaling for help. The two Officers took charge of the situation, got the man in a stable position and made sure he did not fall and injure himself. After stabilizing the man, the two officers, now assisted by others, quickly called for an ambulance and the man was taken to a hospital for treatment. These prompt and heroic actions likely saved a life. As a former nurse, I know that all public service workers pledge to do their best to serve and protect the public, but it is altogether fitting that from time to time we stop to honor those who personify service. I commend Michael Dougherty and Paul Markowski for their actions and wish them many more years of service”.
In her speech titled “Honoring Paul Markowski” Representative Grace Meng stated:
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of my constituent, Paul Markowski. Paul is a Behavior Detection Officer with the Transportation Security Administration based at LaGuardia Airport in Queens, NY. While off-duty, Paul assisted a man in distress, saving his life. On the afternoon of April 13, after finishing their shifts while walking to their cars, Paul and his colleague, Michael Dougherty, spotted a man who was signaling for help. They quickly approached and found the man struggling to breathe while waving a nonfunctioning inhaler. As the man began to have a seizure, Paul and Michael caught him before he fell, and then gently laid him on the ground. Other officers noticed the situation and subsequently called for an ambulance. The man was successfully transported to a nearby hospital. Paul's actions were nothing short of heroic. Speed, teamwork, and willingness to act all played a role in helping save the man's life. I was honored to speak with Paul on Friday afternoon to thank him for his exemplary service. I ask that my colleagues in the House of Representatives join me and rise in recognition of the decisive actions displayed by Mr. Markowski”.
Both speeches are recorded in the Congressional Record on pages E709, E710 and E716.The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. It is published daily when Congress is in session.
See the story on the tsa.gov website.