Boscov's Employee Honored For Saving Woman's Life in Mall Parking Lot

Dec. 16, 2011 was a normal day for Boscov's employee Tracey Santomauro, until she got a call about an incident in the Monmouth Mall parking lot.

Santomauro, of Toms River, is the store's risk management/loss prevention manager and was the first to respond to the report that a woman was unconscious in the parking lot.

Santomauro said she hooked the woman up to an AED machine which initiated a shock and she also performed CPR before paramedics arrived. The woman was quickly taken to a local hospital, where she recovered and is doing fine today.

"I was told by the paramedics that if I hadn't used the machine, that she would not have survived," Santomauro said.

Santomauro said she and other risk management and loss prevention employees are trained to use the AED machine and CPR on adults, infants and children.

Santomauro and fellow Boscov's employee Kevin Hanvey, who assisted during the rescue of the woman, were honored by the American Red Cross and Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini on Wednesday morning at the store. Hanvey was not present but was represented by friend and Eatontown Police Captain John Cleary.

American Red Cross Jersey Coast Chapter Preparedness, Health and Safety Services Training Specialist Amy Weltner thanked Hanvey and Santomauro for their actions.

"We are here today to honor not one but two individuals with the Certificate of Merit to acknowledge and commend them for the selfless and humane actions and courage when they came upon an unconscious woman in the mall parking lot on Dec. 17 of last year," Weltner said.

The Certificate of Merit is awarded to a nominated individuals who save or sustain a human life and has successfully completed an American Red Cross course in First Aid, CPR, AED or aquatics prior to the performance of the lifesaving or life-sustaining act.

This certificate is signed by the President of the United States and the Chairman of the American Red Cross.

Other Boscov's employees and Eatontown Councilmen Dennis Connelly and Mark Regan were also on hand to thank Santomauro and honor Hanvey for their actions.

Santomauro said she was happy to be able to help the woman and said she would not hesitate to do so again.

"If something like this were to happen again, I would be there as well," she said.