Farinas as well as their respective families.
Three members of the Town of Cutler Bay’s Policing Unit were honored at the Aug. 20 council meeting for heroic actions that saved a young woman’s life. Sergeant Frank Farinas, Officer Anthony Zayas and Officer Rommy Pena received commemorative plaques “in appreciation of their professionalism, dedication to services and contributions to the town.”
Sergeant Farinas and Officer Zayas were the first police units to arrive on the scene and saw the young woman in distress, treading water in the lake, repeatedly saying that she wanted to die as her head submerged under the murky water. Without any hesitation or regard for their own safety, both Sergeant Farinas and Officer Zayas dove into the lake and quickly retrieved the woman and pulled her to shore.
Upon exiting the water, the young woman lost consciousness. A third officer, Officer Rommy Pena, checked her vital signs and determined that her breathing was shallow and her pulse was weak.
The woman required immediate medical attention but the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units were unable to locate the officers and the patient due to their position by the lake. Sergeant Farinas made a command decision to cradle the woman between the three officers and transport her to the front of a residence nearby in order to provide Fire Rescue units with a physical address they could use to locate and treat the patient as soon as possible.
Town Mayor Edward P. MacDougall said he was especially proud of the team’s tactical response, professional wisdom and coordinated effort that saved the life of a distraught youth.
“As a former Miami Dade Police officer, I understand the duty and danger these officers face daily,” Mayor MacDougall said. “Their dedication to duty and service to the citizens is proven by these acts of courage. I am proud to have these officers standing ready to save lives, as in this case. I am proud they are serving our citizens of Cutler Bay.”
