The Arlington Chamber of Commerce saluted public safety responses to this winter’s deadly mid-air crash over the Potomac River at an event last week.
A special Excellence Award was bestowed on the Arlington County Police Department, Arlington County Fire Department, Arlington County Department of Public Safety Communications and Emergency Management and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority for their efforts at the scene of the crash.
“They operated as a cohesive team,” said Victoria Sanchez, an anchor with WJLA-TV who served as emcee of the Chamber’s annual Public-Safety Awards on Thursday.
Sanchez, the spouse of a retired sheriff’s deputy, said the emotional impact of major events like a plane crash on responders is lasting.
“It was tough. It was hard,” she said of the experiences of those at the scene. “The emotional weight of the incident cannot be overstated.”
A total of 64 passengers and crew on a PSA Airlines flight operating for American Airlines died after it was struck by a U.S. Army Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter about a half-mile short of Runway 33 at Reagan National Airport.
The three-member flight crew on the Army helicopter also was killed.
It was the first major US commercial passenger-flight crash in 16 years, and the third deadly crash connected to National since its opening in 1941.
Tracy Montross, the managing director of government affairs for American Airlines, used the awards program to thank the local public-safety agencies and personnel for “your professionalism and compassion under pressure” during recovery efforts.
County Board Chair Takis Karantonis, who also spoke at the event, said the community has now lived through two accidents at National Airport in modern times — the 2025 collision and the January 1982 crash of Air Florida Flight 90 into the Potomac.
The latter crash killed 74 passengers and crew on the plane and four motorists on the 14th Street Bridge.
“We hope this never happens again,” Karantonis said, while also praising the 84-year history of National Airport in Arlington.
“It is a great thing to live in a county where we have an airport embedded,” he said.
Award recipients honored for valor, life-saving
Also at last week’s program, there were two presentations of the Chamber’s Valor with Life-Saving Award, the highest honor bestowed by the organization:
- ACPD Officer Paul Battaglia, Officer Cullen Battle, Officer Michael Baker, Cpl. John Majors II, Cpl. Alexis Good and Cpl. Shawn Playford were honored for their response to a December 2024 stabbing incident in Pentagon City. Although a woman succumbed to injuries received in the incident, police actions helped her toddler survive the attack.
- Firefighter/EMT Gregory Gulick, Firefighter/EMT Laura Keeley, Firefighter/EMT Raymark Wisotzkey, Lt. Michael Harris and Lt. Michael Wertman were honored for their efforts last September responding to massive flooding in Damascus, Md. The Arlington team participated in 35 rescues as part of a coordinated regional effort.
Other awards presented at the event included:
Arlington County Police Department: Cpl. Mackenzie Rahaim received the Valor Award; Officer Joshua Laprise received the Valor Award; Officer Brooke Chaco, Officer Cullen Battle, Officer Michael Baker, Cpl. John Majors II, Cpl. Richard Myers II and Cpl. Vincent Ruggero Jr. received the Life-Saving Award.
Arlington County Sheriff’s Office: Cpl. Brandon Take and Cpl. Matthew Camardi received the Life-Saving Award; Kristen Cane was presented with the Meritorious Service Award.
Arlington County Department of Public Safety Communications and Emergency Management: Sara Enriquez and Anthony Chew received the Life-Saving Award.
Christopher Lane, president/CEO of VHC Health, said his staff works well with first-responders and sees first-hand the sacrifices they make for the community.
“Every call is a risk. Every response is a demonstration of commitment,” Lane said.
WJLA’s Sanchez said the awards program provides an opportunity to hear the stories of those who work daily to keep the community safe.
“This is a chance for everyone to see who you are — the faces behind the heroic actions,” she said.
