Firefighter Brad Tatarian and police officers Shane Bula and Joseph Howard are the Community Heroes of the Month supported by Northwell for February.
In the month of February, the New York Islanders and Northwell are honoring three brave individuals who helped save two people from a vehicle explosion in 2017. Tatarian, Bula and Howard all had a role in saving the life of a driver and passenger hit by a car that ran a red through an intersection driving at over 100 mph.
Howard witnessed the crash and quickly sprung into action, attending to the overturned pickup truck that landed 300 feet away from the point of impact. Howard took the lead and advised bystanders to call 911 as he managed to open the damaged door and tend to the unconscious victims.
Tatarian helped save the two lives while he was off duty. With the help of Bula and Howard, Tatarian pulled the victims out of the burning vehicle just moments before the truck exploded.
At the time of the accident, Bula was in the process of being hired as an NYPD officer. He currently serves as an NYPD officer.
Tatarian was a Deer Park Volunteer Firefighter at the time of the accident. He was awarded the Medal of Valor by the Vocational Education and Extension Board of Suffolk County for his heroic action.
Howard has been promoted to Staff Sgt and transferred to the Nassau County Police Department since the accident, while he was a Lance Corporal in 2017.
