When tragedy struck a family near SUNY Cortland’s campus this year, students were some of the first to help those who escaped from the blaze.
In November, a house on Clayton Avenue in Cortland caught fire, badly damaging the homes, apartments, and belongings of seven children under 14 and five adults. At the sound and sight of the Cortland Fire Department’s fire engines, students Holly Wright, Jessie Ciufo, and Seylah Ferguson brought blankets and warm outwear to their displaced neighbors —including three women’s varsity lacrosse team coats.
Over the next hour-and-a-half, the three seniors stayed to give water and Gatorade to the family and firefighters and offer gentle hugs and words of reassurance to the children and the mothers while firefighters controlled the blaze and investigated the scene.
The courage, kindness, and quick action of Wright, Ciufo, and Ferguson were acknowledged by the city of Cortland and its fire company in a presentation of plaques to the three women at the Cortland City Council meeting on Dec. 5 at City Hall. The ceremony was attended by city fire and rescue officials as well as SUNY Cortland President Erik J. Bitterbaum and Vice President for Student Affairs Greg Sharer.
Read the whole story of the students’ actions at cortland.edu.
