Madison PD's Rybka Honored for Valor

Madison Police Officer Chad Rybka was honored by the 200 Club of Morris County for his actions during a motor vehicle crash. The recognition came at the the club's yearly Valor and Meritorious Awards Dinner, recently held at the Villa in Mountain Lakes

Rybka was honored along with officers from Morris Township and Florham Park in connection to the  crash, which occurred on Jan. 16, 2009.

During the early morning hours of that day, police officers from the Florham Park, Morris Township and Madison Police Departments responded to a motor vehicle crash and fire on Route 24 eastbound. Rybka was the first patrol officer to arrive on scene. Rybka located the driver, who had crashed into the back of a tractor trailer, resulting in extensive damage to the front of his car. The engine compartment was on fire and the injured driver was trapped inside his car.

Utilizing a Halligan bar and a fire extinguisher, Rybka–who was assisted by Morris Township Sergeant Edward Conrads, Florham Park Patrolmen Christopher D'Ambola, Michael Neilan and Charles Greenstein–worked to fight back the flames that were encroaching the passenger compartment and successfully extracted the driver.

Because of their immediate attention to the gravity of the situation, working in unison, and without concern for their own safety, they removed the injured man from harm, thus saving his life.

The incident is being held up as an example of officers from various local jurisdictions working as a cohesive team to save the life of an accident victim.

The Morris Township Fire Department also responded and rendered assistance at the scene.