For Immediate Release
Contact: Julia Keane 508-368-7226 or 774-530-1207
DOUGLAS – Today, Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. recognized a group of first responders and town employees, including police officers, firefighters, dispatchers, and highway department personnel, who worked together to rescue an injured man lost in the forest in Douglas this summer.
21 members of the Douglas Police Department, Douglas Fire Department, Webster Fire Department, Uxbridge Fire Department, and Douglas Highway Department were presented with the District Attorney’s Team Excellence and Merit – TEAM – Award, for their actions on July 18, 2025.
“This challenging rescue required first responders, dispatcher, and highway personnel to come together as a team and adapt at every step of the way,” Mr. Early said. “Because of this group’s swift response, this man was successfully located and received the proper medical care he needed.”
On July 18, 2025, Douglas Police and Fire personnel responded to the Woodland Road area after receiving a 911 call from a man who reported that he was injured and lost in the woods after attempting to cut through the forest to get home. First responders pinged the caller’s general cell phone coordinates and, once they quickly responded to the area, were able to find the exact location of the man by calling into the woods. The man could be heard faintly responding in an area with thick brush approximately 500 feet off the road.
In approximately 50 minutes, Douglas Police and Fire, along with Webster Fire and Douglas Highway Department personnel, had located, medically assessed, and extradited the injured hiker, using chainsaws to cut an access path through the woods to reach the injured man.
It was estimated that the man was exposed to the hot summer elements for over two hours. Recognizing the severity of his condition, first responders coordinated a medical helicopter to take him to a local hospital for additional treatment. Members of the Douglas Fire Department transported the man from the scene in an ambulance to a nearby landing zone, which Uxbridge Fire personnel secured, where he was loaded into a medical helicopter and taken to a nearby hospital.
The Douglas Fire Department reminds the community that, “For a safe hike, plan your route, check the weather, and inform someone of your plans. Always carry essential gear like a charged cellphone, water, snacks, and a first-aid kit; wear proper footwear and clothing. Stay on marked trails, be aware of your surroundings and physical limits, and don’t hike alone if you can avoid it.”
Douglas Police Department Chief Nick Miglionico said, “This is yet another example of public safety and town personnel working hand in hand with each other to successfully complete the task at hand.”
The TEAM Award was created by Mr. Early in 2019 to recognize public safety employees who go above and beyond the call of duty. Contact the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office at (508) 755-8601 to nominate someone for this award.
The TEAM Award was presented to:
Douglas Police Department:
Sergeant Aaron McLaughlin
Officer Adam Wright
Dispatcher Delanie Laflamme
Douglas Fire Department:
Chief John Furno
Deputy Chief Kelly Manning
Lieutenant Anthony Worster
Firefighter/EMT Devon Jackson
Firefighter/EMT Finley Luippold
Paramedic Stephannie Lacasse
Firefighter Patrick Burgess
Support / Logistics Benjamin Tusino
Webster Fire Department:
Deputy Chief Jared Morse
Firefighter David Moreira
Firefighter Brian Turcotte
Uxbridge Fire Department:
Lieutenant Keith Harper
Firefighter Stephanie Benoit
Firefighter Scott Brown
Douglas Highway Department:
Joshua Pope
Nathan Boulanger
Samuel Sansoucy
Benjamin Pastor
