PAX Centurion - Special Edition 2013

www.bppa.org PAX CENTURION • Special Boston Marathon Bombing Issue 2013 • Page 13 W e saw a man in a cowboy hat (Carlos Arredondo) who applied pressure to a leg vain of a victim (Jeff Bauman) who lost both legs. He gave true mean- ing to “cowboy up!” These are acts of kindness that go above and beyond. We watched our second-to-none Emergency Medical Services jump into action. This was like an episode of M*A*S*H for these EMTs. Life went from a still calm to utter chaos in a matter of seconds. The preparedness and level of professionalism shown by these individuals who are doing God’s work cannot be measured in words. We are truly blessed to have such talented people in this field. God bless all of you. Boston Fire Fighters along with other Fire Departments from around the surrounding Boston area also were present and jumped into action. All of us first responders working to- wards a common cause: the preservation of human life. When we watch these videos and look at the pictures of heroes in action, we realize how lucky we are to be living in such a great city. We are the Hub of the universe. When I heard and read the tributes from around the country which are too numerous to mention here, I was moved with the rest of the people from this area. Boston has always been a world class city and has stepped up for others in times of need. This loving support will not be forgotten. For the two cowards responsible for these despicable acts, know this, you may have bloodied our nose, but our spirit and resolve on the matter are unbroken. Vice President Joe Biden said it best when he called them, “Two twisted, perverted, and cowardly, knock-off Jihadists.” W hat was amazing to all around the country and the world was how fast these two miscreants were caught. The joint effort of local, state, and federal law enforcement to bring this matter to a swift resolve was incredible. The general public and the media could not say enough about the fine job done by our law-enforcement community. It was really nice to hear so many people say, “thank you for your service!”We can all hold our heads high for a job well done. As the world looked on, justice was served with the shooting of and capturing of the two terrorist brothers. It was a combined effort by all agencies involved that helped to bring this matter to a quick resolve. Not one member of this department looked for accolades, rather it was a team effort, and that is how it should be acknowledged. Many issues arose for our officers during this critical incident that shall be addressed by the BPPA leadership, but now is not the time. B oston Police lined up alongAlbany Street to pay tribute as the hearse carrying MIT Police Officer, Sean Collier, drove by. The Memorial service held on his behalf at Briggs Field in Cambridge was filled with police and citizens. Fourteen-thousand seats had been set up and police officers from all over the country and Canada came to pay their respects. There were roughly ten thousand cops in attendance. This was very touching for the family of Sean Collier, and a perfect sendoff for the fallen hero. Sean’s brother stated how impressed his brother would have been with the bagpipes, lights and sirens, and all the other speakers who were in attendance. Our Boston Police Honor Guard, along with many other departments, lined the side of the field next to the audience. I had never seen so many flags at one venue! MIT Police Chief John DiFava highlighted how Officer Sean Collier, in his short career, had really made an impact on his fellow officers and the student body who really respected him. Officer Col- lier got involved in student activities and befriended students of all nationalities. The Collier family should be proud of the impact this young man had on so many lives in so short a time. Vice President Joe Biden spoke very eloquently of the victims and their families. Putting politics aside, today was about being a strong and proud American, and having pride in the freedoms we enjoy. These are hard-fought freedoms which some of our soldiers and citizens have laid down their lives to protect. We may not be a perfect society, but we are free! I don’t believe God made any of us perfect. I don’t believe God agrees with killing children or innocent people. I thought Vice Presi- dent Biden’s speech was passionate and showed how much he respects law-enforcement officers and their families. See Rises on page 14