Today, we introduce a few of the nominees who have already made New York a better place through their selfless actions and unflagging dedication.

Wendell O'Brien was due back at his job as an FDNY emergency medical technician when last week's blackout hit - but his wife pleaded with him to stay at their Queens home that night because she did not want to be alone.

He's happy he listened - he ended up saving the life of a 9-year-old neighbor who was choking on a bottle cap.

"It's a good thing he ended up staying with me," said Wendell's wife, Marcia O'Brien. "Everyone was so grateful to him for what he did."

Wendell called during the blackout to check on the Holguin family, his next-door neighbors in Rosedale.

Ten minutes later, the neighbors' two kids came over, screaming that their little sister, Hannah, was in the walkway between their houses choking on a plastic bottle top.

Wendell ran outside, wearing only his boxers, and performed the Heimlich maneuver on her for 20 minutes.

"I just ran out, and she was running at me holding her throat," he said. "Her mom was screaming, the neighbors were all crying, holding flashlights, trying to figure out what to do - 911 was down, nobody could get through - I kept on with the Heimlich until she coughed up some air."

After the bottle top was dislodged, Hannah was breathing, but not well. Neighbors flagged down a police truck that had responded to a shooting. The cops placed Hannah in the truck, but on the way to the hospital, the engine died - and all the while, Hannah continued to struggle for air.

But Wendell came through once again - carrying his little neighbor to his car and rushing to Franklin Medical Center on nearby Long Island.

"My husband stayed at that hospital with her until 4 a.m., while she got X-rayed and was checked," Marcia said. "He says it's just his job, but it's a little different when it's so close to home - he saved her life, he's my hero."

Marcia has nominated Wendell for The Post's Community Medal Liberty Award for saving Hannah Holguin's life.

"I'm flattered," Wendell said. "It was an adventure - it was chaos, people needed stability, they were panicking.

"I'm just glad I was there - this could have turned out terrible."