Seneca Falls resident Keith Tidball, a New York Guard member, received NYS Military Commendation Medal

New York Guard volunteer honored for fast-thinking reaction to automobile wreck

Latham, NY (11/21/2019) — Keith Tidball, a Seneca Falls resident and Cornell University professor, has been awarded the New York State Military Commendation Medal for responding to a February 2, 2019 accident on Routes 5 and 20 in Seneca Falls.

Tidball is a captain in the New York Guard, the state's volunteer, uniformed self-defense force. The New York Guard augments the National Guard during disasters and state emergencies.

The incident took place on Feb. 2, while Tidball was traveling eastbound in his pickup truck on State Routes 5 and 20. Two vehicles in front of him had collided, creating a dangerous situation as two occupants of one of the vehicles left their car looking dazed and disoriented.

Tidball maneuvered his vehicle and turned on the flashers to block oncoming traffic from hitting the wrecked vehicles.

Tidball then enlisted the aid of an onlooker to help flag down traffic to reduce speeds in the accident area. He directed that person to call 911 while he proceeded to the accidents scene and began administering first aid using a first aid kit he retrieved from his truck.

He took care of a laceration on the hand of one victim and continued to access both individuals for injuries or wounds. He also re-entered the four-lane road to determine if there were injuries to the occupants of the other vehicle.

When police and emergency medical teams arrived on the scene, Tidball briefed them on his observations before leaving the scene.

His award recognizes his "commendable devotion to duty" in taking the actions he took that day.

Tidball has served in the New York Guard since 2001. Prior to that he served in the New York Army National Guard but was forced to leave in 1993 due to an injury.

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