Owego First Responder Awarded For Rescue

Alexandria Bay, NY (WBNG Binghamton) It’s a state honor for a volunteer emergency responder in Tioga county.

A car crashed into a tree and caught fire in the Town of Nichols last December.

Karen Rathke of the Southside Fire Company of Owego was first on the scene.

She rescued the driver, put out the flames, and called for assistance.

The effort earned her EMS Provider of the Year Award, presented today to her by the Firemen’s Association of New York

Rathke’s father who is also the Fire Chief, says her work speaks to the company’s values.

“We have people such as my daughter and other people who are willing to give up a lot of time, to make the worst day of their life go much better than it normally would be,” said Frank Okrasinski, Fire Chief for Owego’s South Side Fire Company.

Karen Rathke was also named Firefighter of the Year by the South Side Company.

The man hurt in that crash in December was treated in Syracuse for his injuries.