LIFESAVER – University Police Officer Timothy M. Ashley, II, received a New York State University Police Meritorious Service Commendation for saving the life of a fellow officer. Ashley added the red and blue Meritorious Service bar to his uniform denoting his valuable police service.

SUNY Canton University Police Officer Timothy M. Ashley II received the New York State University Police Meritorious Service Commendation for saving the life of a fellow officer.

Ashley rescued University Police Lieutenant Brian E. Kurish at a luncheon with SUNY Canton President Joseph L. Kennedy last semester.

“We were still wondering what was going on when Officer Ashley sprang into action,” recalled Kennedy.

While the rest of the guests only began to realize that Kurish was in distress, Ashley performed the Heimlich Maneuver on his coworker and dislodged a piece of food just as Kurish was about to lose consciousness.

“Officer Ashley’s quick response prevented me from becoming unconscious and cleared the obstruction from my throat,” Kurish recalled upon presenting Ashley with his award. “Had he not acted as quickly as he did, I feel that the situation could have been very dire. I am certain that he saved my life that day”

Ashley can both perform and teach life saving techniques and is a certified CPR and automatic external defibrillator (AED) instructor. He leads classes on using AEDs and CPR at the college. He is also a 1993 SUNY Canton Alumnus.