At the Aug. 9 DOC Basic Training graduation, Corrections Officer Trainee Matthew Losiewicz, of SCI Coal Township, was presented the Good Samaritan Award for helping a man at a local restaurant.
Losiewicz, then a student at the DOC Training Academy, came to the aid of a man lying in a parking lot of a restaurant on July 17. He noticed the man on the ground, unable to get up. The COT rendered aid to the man, who was conscious and speaking but experiencing difficulty. He was able to use basic first aid techniques he had recently learned during the Basic First Aid and CPR (BFA/CPR) training he completed at the Training Academy.
After tending to the man and remaining with him for several minutes, the man was able to stand with the assistance of Losiewicz, who then helped him to his vehicle.
All contact staff receive BFA/CPR training during Basic Training, with licensed medical staff receiving specialized training for medical professionals in Basic First Aid and Basic Life Support (BLS). Since contact staff are often the first responders to an emergency inside corrections facilities, they have to be skilled and proficient to handle a wide variety of situations.