Assemblyman Chris Tague (R,C,I-Schoharie) today joined employees of Peckham Industries and owner of Tommy Faxon Excavation, Tommy Faxon, at the Athens Rail Terminal and PARCO offices on the Schoharie Turnpike to celebrate the lifesaving heroism displayed by Peckham employees Scott Pooters, Joe Sisto and Ahron Young, as well as Columbia County 911 Dispatcher Robyn Sweet on June 9, 2022.

Tommy Faxon, a former employee of Peckham Industries, was making a stop at their PARCO facility in Athens to unload a tanker truck when he began to experience a heart-related health emergency. Witnessing Tommy’s struggle, Scott Pooters, Liquid Division Manager of Peckham Industries, took quick action alongside fellow employees Joe Sisto and Ahron Young, as well as Columbia County 911 Dispatcher Robyn Sweet, an acquaintance of Tommy’s present at the scene, to come to his aid.

Joe and Robyn took turns performing chest compressions before utilizing an automated external defibrillator device (AED) to revive him. Their quick assistance was able to keep Tommy alive as they waited for EMS personnel to arrive and assist, and by the time they did, Tommy had been revived twice by the group.

It is because of their actions that Tommy was able to be transported to a local hospital, where he would undergo surgery that afternoon. Today, Tommy is progressing well through his recovery and remains grateful for the willingness of those who came to his aid to take decisive action to save his life in a moment when seconds mattered.

“If not for the quick thinking of these four, it’s very likely our friend Tommy would no longer be with us today, so I thank these heroes for their courage during an incredibly distressing incident,” said Tague. “More than people in the right place at the right time, these four had the training and the will to do what they had to do to save Tommy’s life and didn’t hesitate to make a quick decision in a tough situation.”

The assemblyman thanked Peckham Industries for their dedication to employee safety and first aid training, he was especially grateful to Amalio “AJ” Justino for his dedication to ensuring the company’s employees were prepared for incidents like these. It is because of that preparedness, along with the bravery of those who came to Tommy’s aid, that he is progressing through a healthy recovery today.

“As the former general manager of a company in heavy highway construction responsible for ensuring the safety and emergency-preparedness of over 300 employees, I deeply appreciate the focus Peckham Industries has on training their employees to stay safe and take action during dire situations.”