March - April 2015

March/April 2015
vol. 67 issue 5
2015 FASNY
CONVENTION
Also Inside:
2015 FASNY Winter Games Highlights
RecruitNY: April 25 and 26, 2015
New York State Volunteer Firefighters...
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It’s getting to be that time again!
As we conclude another year of
recruitment and retention activities,
we need to update our records and
complete our SAFER grant reporting
requirements.
To help us achieve these goals,
each department will be receiving
new Census forms. It is critical
that this form is returned as soon
as possible so we can meet grant
deadlines and hit the ground
running in 2015!
2
The Volunteer Firefighter
www.fasny.com
CON T E N T S
MARCH/APRIL 2015
Features
12 2015 Legislative Outreach Schedule
13 Teamwork: The Road to a Championship –
What Can We (FASNY) Do for You?
By Daryl Buornat
15 New York State Volunteer First Responder Job
Protection – How Does it Work?
29 Cover Story
2015 FASNY CONVENTION
17 Applications Now Being Accepted For Phoenix
Firecamp in July
18 Training and Education
By Jessica Kirk
23 Take Care of Your Department Members
after Trauma
By Michael P. Capoziello
24 Small Town Catastrophe: The Texas City Disaster
By Charles Angione
8
FASNY Winter
Games 2015
Results
26 FASNY Museum of Firefighting:
Chief Gulick and the Great Fire of 1835
By Jamie Smith Quinn
36 Our Home in Hudson
By David F. Schmidt
40 FASNY Remembers
Secretary Michael D. Whelan (1946-2014)
55 Why Am I a Volunteer?
By S teve Protz
The Fifth Annual
RecruitNY:
Open Your
Doors
Columns
14
5 President’s Message
6 50-Year Certificates
7 Drill Team
50 New Members
Fighting Fires
and Beating Cancer
20
By Brian McQueen
www.fasny.com
Regionals
42 LAFASNY
44 Sectionals
The Volunteer Firefighter
3
Individual Members
Can Now Renew Online
Our 2015 dues notices for individual members
are now out via email and regular mail, and we
hope those of you not a part of full company
membership will stay with us for this year. We
have accepted online renewals for several years,
and this year we continue that in a new way.
You can now log in to your individual member
record at www.fasny.com and select to renew for
one or five years. Head to checkout and you’re
done. It’s that easy! If you don’t know your login
name and/or password, just contact our office and
we will be glad to assist you.
As of February 23, FASNY’s membership stands at
44,739, an increase of 1,041 since December 23.
Harrison Breuer, CAE
Member Outreach Coordinator
RETRACTION
From107
Due to an editorial error, the Training and Education
feature on p. 15 of the January/February issue
included the “Natural Disasters” and “Solar Panel
Awareness” courses, which are no longer being
offered by FASNY. We regret the error.
FASNY Offices
March/April 2015
vol. 67 issue 5
107 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12210
phone (800) 2FASNY2
(800) 232-7692
fax (518) 426-0139
www.fasny.com
fasny@fasny.com
Senior Editor
Shane M. Liebler
Media Communications Committee
Kenneth Pienkowski, Chairman
Print Project Manager
Ed Tase Jr.
Webmaster
Brian F. McQueen
Members
Michael R. Caron
Steven E. Klein
David A. Quinn
FASNY President
Robert N. McConville
www.fasny.com
•
Editorial deadline is the 5th of the
month preceding each issue
•
For advertising requests contact
Trisha Stethers at (800) 293-1002
or visit www.thevolunteerfirefighter.com
•
Address all editorial content to:
The Volunteer Firefighter™
ABC Creative Group
430 East Genesee Street, Suite 401
Syracuse, NY 13202
phone (800) 293-1002
fax (315) 471-2240
fire@abccreativegroup.com
•
For address changes or FASNY
membership questions please call (800) 2FASNY2
Published by
www.abcideabased.com
The Volunteer Firefighter™ ISSN 1534-9535 is published bi-monthly by the Firemen’s
Association of the State of New York, 107 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York
12210. Periodicals postage is paid at Albany, NY and at additional mailing offices.
Postmaster: Send all address changes to: FASNY, 107 Washington Avenue, Albany,
NY 12210.
The Volunteer Firefighter™ is the official journal of the Firemen’s Association of the
State of New York, a non-profit organization, and carries news and announcements
concerning FASNY. Subscription rate is $20 annually. FASNY members receive this
magazine as part of their dues. FASNY is not responsible for contents or opinions
other than Association activities. Entire contents are © 2015 Firemen’s Association
of the State of New York, all rights reserved and, as such, may not be reproduced in
part or in whole without written permission of the publishers. FASNY reserves the
right to print portions or all of any correspondence received by the editors without
liability on its part and no such correspondence will be returned without prior
agreement.
4
Home delivery of The Volunteer Firefighter™ is one of the many benefits of FASNY
membership.
The Volunteer Firefighter
www.fasny.com
President’s Message
Robert N. McConville – President
First and foremost, I wish to take a moment and remember
our friend, brother, colleague and association Secretary Michael
Whelan.
Michael was such an asset to FASNY and the volunteer fire service. His contributions on behalf of us all will be greatly missed.
He was a superb leader in the boardroom and was our conscience,
our compass, connecting our past, present and future.
Michael knew how to meld the board in its deliberations. What
stands out is his moral character, his wisdom and, certainly, his
sense of humor and ability to always know the right thing to do
and the right thing to say when advising and guiding the board in
making decisions regarding the membership of FASNY.
We think about Michael every day, he will always be remembered by all. Rest in Peace Michael and Godspeed, our dear friend.
I wish to congratulate Bellmore Fire Department Chief John
Curley for receiving the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor presented in a ceremony by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and Attorney General Eric Holder in Washington, D.C.
As many of you will recall, Chief Curley was the recipient of the
2013 FASNY Firefighter of the Year Award, presented in Albany
by Past President Jim Burns. FASNY recognized and celebrated
John’s achievement, his bravery and quick action. We are proud
of Chief Curley and his heroic deed and wish him and his family
good luck in all their future endeavors. Well done, John!
FASNY continues to provide great programs on behalf of the
membership. In early March, the FASNY EMS Committee will
again host its annual three-day seminar in Montour Falls. As always, core and non-core seminars will be presented along with
other topics including forums on safety, health and wellness.
The FASNY Legislative Committee is hosting Legislative outreach meetings across the state. I urge all of you to attend one of
these sessions and become better informed about the legislation
introduced by FASNY as well as what position FASNY holds on
the different laws being proposed.
We were fortunate to attend the 10th annual FASNY Winter
Games held in Cortland. Congratulations to the Cortland County
Firemen’s Association for hosting this exciting and cool event.
More than 50 fire departments from across the state sent 400 firefighters to Cortland to compete in the five different contests over
two days. All teams were competitive and enjoyed the companionship and friendly competition with their peers. A great event
sponsored by FASNY. Good luck to Cortland County Firemen’s
Association in the future as they continue to host this event.
A lot has changed in the world since the founding of FASNY
and the 1888 resolution calling for a Firemen’s Home. As such,
it is important to regularly evaluate if we are correctly positioned
for success, and communicate those findings to our membership.
We do this for all FASNY programs and initiatives, including the
Firemen’s Home.
As you may or may not know, admittance to the FASNY Firemen’s Home is based on a first come, first served basis and in some
instances, it is subject to the availability of beds in the specialized
care areas of the Home. In addition, there is an application process
that includes a review of several criteria including medical and
financial need and other factors which must be completed before
Home admission.
The current waiting list to become a resident of the Home is a
testament to the top-notch care provided at the facility, trustee
stewardship, constructive policy implementation and substantial
financial investment.
In addition, because of advances in health care as well as new
policies in place, residents are healthier and living longer lives
now than at any other time in the history of the Home. This good
news comes with its own set of challenges, which we will be evaluating closely.
The fifth year of our very successful campaign, RecruitNY will
be held April 25-26. Numerous fire departments and fire companies across the state have participated in this recruitment drive
and have added thousands of new volunteer firefighters to their
ranks.
The Home has a finite number of beds and is operated with an
attention to detail that accommodates the highest number of residents possible, while still maintaining the top ratings earned from
the health department and other regulatory agencies. Due to various factors, the number of residents living in the Home has fluctuated over the years. These variables include finances, such as the
collapsing economy of 2008/2009; maintaining a stable number
of staff without resorting to disruptive layoffs or over-hiring; and
other budget considerations.
I urge all of you to have your department or company sign
up now and open your doors on this weekend in April. Go to
www.recruitny.org and peruse all the information and materials
available to you as a tool kit to make your RecruitNY event successful and productive.
Additional reasons for census number fluctuations include the
varying levels/acuity of patients’ medical conditions and the specific type of attention they require (example: dementia care). Also,
today’s extended life expectancy means less beds becoming available on a regular basis.
Continued on next page.
www.fasny.com
The Volunteer Firefighter
5
In some past years, the Home was operating at below-maximum
resident capacity. Today, we are pleased to report that FASNY is
closer to restoring the Home to full capacity.
In the coming year we will be providing regular news and information updates to all members who may have questions about
residency in the Home.
As we continue to travel around the state, I am truly amazed at
the number of dedicated, well-trained and well-informed volunteer firefighters we see on a daily basis. You all should be proud
of this noble profession that you have committed your time and
energy to perform.
FASNY leadership continues its mission to make each and every one of you safe, well trained and healthy. We thank you for
your continued support of the volunteer fire service of New York
State.
As always,
Robert N. McConville
Firefighter 50 Year Certificate Recipients
Presented during the month of
December, 2014
Albany County
Coeymans Fire Company No. 1
Edward J. Domanico
56 years
Columbia County
Mellenville Volunteer Fire
Company
Dale Rowe
50 years
Nassau County
Freeport Fire Department
Donald R. Mauersberger 50 years
John Mauersberger
50 years
Niagara County
North Tonawanda Rescue Fire
Company No. 5
Calvin Neff
50 years
Pekin Fire Company, Inc.
James M. Etue
50 years
Floyd Harvey
50 years
Onondaga County
Lakeside Fire Department
Gordon C. Tousant
50 years
Saratoga County
Hillcrest Fire Department
Harry Conerty
50 years
Providence Fire Department
James R. Cummings, Sr. 50 years
Suffolk County
Bayport Fire Department
Albert Wageli, Jr.
Ed Kennelly
Frank Meyer
Frank Norton
Paul McFadden
Clarence Rosche
George Sutherland
Tucker Farrell
6
72 years
71 years
61 years
57 years
51 years
51 years
51 years
50 years
Warren County
North Queensbury Volunteer Fire
Company
Paul F. Schonewolf
52 years
Yates County
Dresden Fire Department
Glen Mashewske
50 years
Rochester Fire Department
Protectives
Bruce R. Yanz
50 years
Nassau County
Glenwood Hook & Ladder, Engine
& Hose Company
William Schmidt
50 years
Niagara County
Presented during the month of
January, 2015
Columbia County
J. W. Edmonds Hose Company
No. 1
Bruce Finn
50 years
Michael Lewicki
50 years
Nicholas Scalera
50 years
James Schermerhorn, Sr. 50 years
Erie County
Clarence Center Volunteer Fire
Company, Inc.
Dale R. Honsberger
65 years
Arlington Smith
50 years
Clarence Fire Company, Inc.
William H. Smith
50 years
Doyle Volunteer Hose Company
No. 1
Leo Bogdan
75 years
Eggertsville Hose Company
Gordon M. Fredrickson 50 years
Roger P. Mazikowski
50 years
Herkimer County
Schuyler Volunteer Fire Company,
Inc.
Theodore Lange
60 years
Monroe County
Mendon Fire Company
Richard Joint
50 years
Sanborn Fire Company, Inc.
Donald Housser
50 years
Gary Townsend
50 years
Leonard Wienke
50 years
Wrights Corners Fire Company,
Inc.
John S. Lobczowski, Sr. 50 years
Oneida County
Deerfield Volunteer Fire Company,
Inc.
Arleigh Paquette
60 years
New York Mills Fire Department
Frederick J. Griffiths
50 years
Joseph Hammond
50 years
Stittville Fire Department, Inc.
William Blust
67 years
Edward Shilling
62 years
William K. Owen, Jr.
60 years
Westmoreland Fire Department,
Company No. 1
James Brewer
50 years
Ontario County
Nester Hose Company No. 1
Richard Guinan
50 years
James LaVoie
50 years
Charles E. Willis
50 years
Putnam County
Carmel Fire Department
Edward Adams
Charles Lounsbury, Jr.
Charles Cole
Lynn Greenwood
John Joye
Mahopac Volunteer Fire
Department
Thomas M. Carey
Vincent G. Roberto, Jr.
Ronald Smith
67 years
59 years
57 years
57 years
57 years
50 years
50 years
50 years
Rensselaer County
West Sand Lake Fire Company
John M. Pelton
50 years
Suffolk County
Deer Park Volunteer Fire
Department
Mortimer Sickles
50 years
Warren County
Pilot Knob Volunteer Fire
Department
Gary Willett
50 years
Westchester County
Verplanck Fire Protective
Association
Charles G. Eichler
Charles R. Keesler
Frederick F. Keesler
Richard A. Keesler, Sr.
Walter J. Laug
Howard P. Murphy, Jr.
Robert L. Slocum
50 years
50 years
50 years
50 years
50 years
50 years
50 years
Oswego County
Enterprise Fire Company No. 1 of
Phoenix
Francis A. Barkley
50 years
Danny Lewis Dunn
50 years
FASNY awards certificates to volunteer firefighters who have achieved 50 years in the volunteer fire service and also commemorates volunteer fire departments with 100
or more years of service to their communities. The certificates are issued by the FASNY office and can be presented by a FASNY official upon request. There is no cost of
any kind to the department or to the recipient.
The Volunteer Firefighter will run photos of 50 year presentations in the regional or 50 and 100 year column, space and quality of photo permitting. Please submit photos
within five days of the month the award is presented as the names must remain consistent with those listed in the current 50 and 100 year column.
The Volunteer Firefighter
www.fasny.com
Drill Team
For over 100 years, fire departments throughout New York
State have competed against each other to measure their skills.
As motor-driven firefighting equipment was introduced,
firemen incorporated these vehicles into their events alongside
more traditional tests of stretching hose and hoisting ladders.
These competitions have evolved into a terrific display of
basic firefighting skills and teamwork, exhibitions that are
one-of-a-kind around the world. Your volunteer department is
welcome to compete, and we are here to show you how.
Drill teams practice two times a week, and compete
throughout the summer. Your drill team will leave the season
healthier and in better shape, a priority for all fire departments.
Action Under Pressure
Structure fires are down across the country, and that’s a good
thing. But firefighters know that delivering under pressure is
a learned skill and recreating the intensity of the fire attack is
very difficult.
The most successful drill teams
learn how to perform when the
pressure is on. Drill teams have to
eliminate distractions, and perform
at their best to be successful.
Drill teams draw new members,
boost morale, promote physical
fitness, offer the thrill of
competition, make a great way to
train and give firefighters across
the state the chance to network.
Firefighting Skills
Drill teams across the state have
been competing since the late 1800s.
As such, many drill team events
might seem simple compared to
today’s firefighting evolutions.
Recruitment and Retention
Convincing today’s youth to
volunteer is getting increasingly
difficult. Drill teams are costeffective ways to turn heads and
draw interest. When a youngster
sees the drill teams compete, they
ask one question: “How do I get
in?”
But, the basics are still the same:
raising, climbing and operating on
ladders, connecting to hydrants,
connecting hose couplings and
advancing hose lines are all useful
skills on the fireground, and drill
team members can perform these
tasks flawlessly.
Drill teams keep them in your
department longer as well, which
is important as we all know that an
experienced firefighter is priceless
in the fire service.
Team Building and Department
Pride
“Team-building exercises” isn’t just corporate mumbojumbo. Local, state and federal government agencies across the
country invest in team-building exercises to build trust and
develop interpersonal working skills.
Your department’s drill team becomes a way for your
firefighters to learn how to come together for a common goal.
A successful team is a source of great pride for our departments
and gives every department something to rally behind.
Athletic Activity
High schools have football teams. Fire departments have drill
teams.
In motorized competition, the
vehicles used are obviously disparate
from those used in emergency
responses, but their operation,
pumps and equipment are similar to what would be expected
on the fireground.
Networking
Fire departments throughout the state rely on mutual aid
to ensure the safety of their residents. Your next structure
fire is not the time to introduce yourself to your neighboring
department.
At every drill, firefighters from across the area are making
contacts and building professional relationships that will
benefit their department as a whole. In the corporate world,
they call this “networking,” but our departments call it family.
Learn more about forming your own drill team and competing
at www.nysdrillteams.com
www.fasny.com
The Volunteer Firefighter
7
FASNY Winter Games
2015 Results
Tubing – Sponsored by Fire Service Safety Testing
Tug-O-War – Sponsored by United Radio
1st Newark Valley Fire Department 2nd Farmingville Fire Department 3rd Cortlandville Fire Department Team #2
1st Killawog Fire Department Team #1
2nd Marathon Fire Department #1
3rd Walton Fire Department Team #1
Sled Pull – Sponsored by Priority Fire Apparatus & Service
Broom Ball Event –
1st Marathon Fire Department Team #1 0:36.90
2nd Chenango Bridge Fire Company Team #2 0:37.97
3rd Killawog Fire Department Team #1 0:38.12
Hose Race – Sponsored by Fire-End
Sponsored by ESIP and Jerome Fire Equipment/Amkus
1st Cortlandville Fire Department - Team #1
2nd Farmingville Fire Department
3rd Homer Fire Department - Team #1
1st Farmingville Fire Department 0:40.26
2nd Cortlandville Fire Department Team #1 0:41.60
3rd Vernon Fire Department Team #2 0:42.76
8
The Volunteer Firefighter
www.fasny.com
Teams have to pull together to take on the tube races.
Broom Ball competition was hosted at the SUNY Cortland Ice Arena.
The female firefighters of the Branchport/Keuka Park and
Himrod fire departments flexed some muscle during the
tug-o-war event.
Overall Tournament Champions
Matt Porcari Sportsmanship Award –
Farmingville Fire Department
Presented by Central New York Firemen’s Association
Walton Fire Department
Cortland County Champions
Best Tailgate Setup
Cortlandville Fire Department – Team #1
McLean and Groton fire departments
Longest Journey
Photos by David Quinn, Gordy Kotars and the FASNY
Public Relations Committee
Brookhaven Fire Company No. 1 – 280 miles
Junior/Explorer Team
Fairville Explorer Post No. 751
www.fasny.com
The Volunteer Firefighter
9
2015 FASNY Winter Games Highlights
FASNY President Bob McConville, Chief Administrative Officer David Quinn
and First Vice President Ken Pienkowski were on hand for the 10th annual
Winter Games.
From left, Denise Slocum, Heidi Berdick, Melanie Falzone, Tabitha Haesche, Debra
Westfall and Betty Hubbard posed for this photo following a successful sled pull.
Winter Games firefighters enjoyed a hearty spread during the events.
10
FASNY Director Gene Perry (seated) greets FASNY First Vice President Ken
Pienkowski.
The Volunteer Firefighter
www.fasny.com
The Brookhaven Fire Department celebrates a first-round win in the tube races.
The tubing winners representing Newark Valley, Farmingville and Cortlandville
fire departments pose after the event.
Broom Ball games tend to get pretty intense.
www.fasny.com
The Walton Fire Department team of female firefighters pulled away
in the tug-o-war event.
The Volunteer Firefighter
11
2015 Legislative Outreach Schedule
To promote the new legislative agenda, FASNY continues its Legislative Outreach Program. The meetings usually last anywhere from
60-90 minutes and will cover the FASNY Legislative Agenda as well as issues of interest to the sponsoring sectionals.
Paul Zuber, Andrew Marrocco and Daniel Cain from Albany Strategic Advisors, FASNY’s legislative representatives, will be on hand
with FASNY Legislative Committee members to facilitate the program.
State legislators will also be in attendance to comment and listen to the fire service legislative needs.
Current schedule of meetings and locations:
April 12, 2015 Western Cambria noon
April 18, 2015 Southern Albertson 9:00 a.m.
April 19, 2015 Hudson Valley Athens 10:00 a.m.
April 25, 2015 Hudson-Mohawk Red Rock 9:00 a.m.
Legislative Committee Reminders
• Form IT245 (Claim for Volunteer Firefighters’ and Ambulance Workers’ Credit) gets volunteer firefighters and EMS a $200 New
York State income tax credit.
• If your 59 ½ years or older, we are happy to report that Gov. Andrew Cuomo approved the New York State 2014-2015 Budget,
which includes legislation exempting proceeds from Length of Service Awards Programs (LOSAP) from NYS personal income
taxes. This has been a priority for FASNY and its membership for quite some time. For tax years 2014 and prior, individuals over
the age of 59 ½ receiving periodic payments are allowed to subtract those payments from their federal and state income taxes. Use
Form IT-201 and subtract the LOSAP payments on line 31. Note this will have to be confirmed with the New York State since they
might insert a new line on IT-Form.
Distinctive auto insurance—
just because you belong.
Did you know that as a member of The
Firemen’s Association of the State of New
York, you could save up to $427.96 or more on
Liberty Mutual Auto Insurance?1 You could save
even more if you also insure your home with
us. Plus, you’ll receive quality coverage from a
partner you can trust, with features and options
that can include Accident Forgiveness2, New Car
Replacement3, and Lifetime Repair Guarantee.4
ContaCt
ME toDay
to start
saving
This organization receives financial support for allowing Liberty Mutual to offer this auto and home insurance program.
#
1#Discounts are available where state laws and regulations allow, and may vary by state. Figure reflects average national savings for customers who
switched to Liberty Mutual’s group auto and home program. Based on data collected between 9/1/12 and 8/31/13. Individual premiums and savings will vary.
To the extent permitted by law, applicants are individually underwritten; not all applicants may qualify. #2#For qualifying customers only. Subject to terms and
conditions of Liberty Mutual’s underwriting guidelines. Not available in CA and may vary by state. #3#Applies to a covered total loss. Your car must be less
than one year old, have fewer than 15,000 miles and have had no previous owner. Does not apply to leased vehicles or motorcycles. Subject to applicable
deductible. Not available in NC or WY. #4#Loss must be covered by your policy. Not available in AK. Coverage provided and underwritten by Liberty Mutual
Insurance Company and its affiliates, 175 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA. ©2014 Liberty Mutual Insurance
12
EDwarD BEEkMan, Esr
Washington Professional Park, Bldg 6, Ste E,
1500 Route 112
Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776
800-319-4490 x52869
Email: edward.beekman@libertymutual.com
Or visit: www.libertymutual.com/fasny
Client #101423
AUTO | HOME
The Volunteer Firefighter
www.fasny.com
Teamwork:
The Road to a Championship –
What Can We (FASNY) Do for You?
“The achievements of an organization are the results of the combined
effort of each individual.”
This seminar will consist of six key segments of a fire prevention
and life safety program:
“People who work together will win, whether it be against complex
football defenses or the problems of modern society.”
• Drafting Your Community Partners – getting schools, local
businesses, houses of worship and civic groups involved in a
positive and valuable way.
By Daryl Buornat, Fire Prevention and Life Safety Committee Member
“Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a
team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”
– Vince Lombardi
In January, the FASNY Fire Prevention and Life Safety Committee
met in Albany to discuss, draft and implement plans specifically for
what our committee and FASNY can do for the fire departments
across New York State.
The first objective will be to implement changes to our current
Web page on the FASNY website. We are in the process of making
that www.preventfiresny.com easier to navigate through and adding
valuable tips on fire prevention and life safety issues. We also plan to
add usable and pertinent resources to guide departments in finding
information on the subjects they are presenting.
A key point of the updated www.preventfiresny.com will be a link
to the applications for FASNY Fire Safety Educator of the Year and
Teacher of the Year awards. Presently, there are more than 1,800 fire
departments in New York State, yet we are only receiving a handful
of applications for the awards each year.
These awards are in place not to brag about who has the best
program, but rather to encourage all departments to nominate an
individual or group that they feel has made a difference in the field
of fire prevention and life safety.
The second objective of our meeting was coming up with a way to
assist departments with implementing or improving their existing
fire prevention and life safety programs, as well as share ideas.
Our committee has met this objective by planning a seminar to be
presented on May 30 at the Lyncourt Fire Department, 2909 Court
St., Syracuse (Onondaga County).
Teamwork: The Road to a Championship – What Can We
(FASNY) Do for You?
There are many successful fire prevention and life safety programs
in New York State. There are also many departments that either do not
have these programs or are struggling to make their programs work.
This seminar will provide an opportunity for those in attendance to
share their own success stories and also serve as a valuable learning
tool for future successes. We want to provide the building blocks to
assist you in making your program the best that it can be.
www.fasny.com
• S ocial Media (A Slam Dunk) – getting your message out to the
public in a positive way using Web pages, Facebook, Twitter,
et al. All can be valuable tools for having a successful fire
prevention and life safety program.
• Fielding Funding Opportunities – how to get your budget
to work for you and find valuable assets through grants and
donations.
• I ntercepting New Ideas – where to find fire prevention and life
safety tips, print media or ideas to assist you in your program.
There are many successful fire prevention and life safety
programs in New York State. This seminar will provide you an
opportunity to share yours ideas, pick up some helpful tips and
learn from the successes of others.
What: T eamwork: The Road to the
Championship seminar
When: May 30, 2015
Where: L yncourt Fire Department
2909 Court St., Syracuse
Details coming to www.fasny.com
• Lesson Planning (A Home Run) – by having concise, written
lesson plans for all of your programs’ target audiences, you will
hit all the bases each time you give a presentation, and discover
new and valuable target audiences.
• Staying in the Game – health and wellness tips and ideas to
keep you healthy and in the game. Now is the time for the
volunteer fire service in New York State to change the culture
of the way we take care of ourselves in order to better serve and
educate our communities.
Please save the date May 30 to join us at this pilot seminar in
Onondaga County. More information and registration details will
be posted on the website as they are made available. We hope to see
you there for what should be a fun and informative seminar.
The Volunteer Firefighter
13
Sign Up Your Department Now For
The Fifth Annual RecruitNY
Open Your Doors April 25 and 26, 2015!
2015
Don’t miss this chance to join hundreds of departments across the state
in supporting the volunteer fire service, growing your department and
engaging your community this RecruitNY Weekend!
There’s still time! Sign up and download free customizable promotional
resources at www.recruitny.org
14
The Volunteer Firefighter
www.fasny.com
New York State Volunteer First Responder Job Protection
How Does it Work?
After several years of aggressive lobbying by FASNY, Gov.
Andrew Cuomo signed a bill into law that greatly benefits
volunteer first responders in New York. Firefighters and EMS
personnel who qualify under the terms of the law cannot
be fired from or lose their jobs while they are engaged in an
extended response to a large-scale disaster.
In order to qualify for job protection, you must meet the criteria
below:
• Volunteers only qualify for work leave when responding to a
local or state-declared emergency. Volunteers are not excused
from work for routine responses, such as individual fires.
• Volunteer firefighters and EMS workers must have provided
their employers with written documentation detailing their
membership in a fire department or volunteer ambulance
corps. This document must be signed by the chief of the
employee’s fire department or EMS agency, and provided to
the employer before a response begins.
• The employee on leave can decide whether to take an unpaid
leave, or to use any time off that the employee has accrued
(such as vacation time, personal days, etc.). Employees are
not entitled to a paid leave while engaged in an extended
response.
• Under the statute, employers can request a written, notarized
statement from the chief of an employee’s fire department or
EMS agency certifying the period of time that the employee
was involved in a response. It is recommended that all
volunteers obtain this statement for every extended response,
even if it is not specifically requested by an employer.
hire new workers to replace an employee on leave can choose
to deny leave to the employee.
FASNY has gathered a number of resources related to job
protection, including the complete text of the law and other
related documents. Please visit www.fasny.com/jobprotection
for more information.
Help FASNY oppose dangerous
legislation that will put fireworks in
the hands of children and others.
Visit www.fasny.com and explore the Fireworks Opposition
Toolkit, which includes legislation details, press release
templates and a customizable letter of opposition.
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• It is very important that each department keep detailed
records of alarm activity and duration of emergencies,
which will aid the data required. This will provide back up
documentation should the activity be called into question.
• This law does not impede, infringe or diminish the rights
a worker is entitled to through any existing collective
bargaining agreements, and does not impact the integrity of
any collective bargaining relationship.
• State employees are exempt from the provisions of this law.
• If an employee’s absence would cause an undue hardship for
the employer’s business, the employee may not take a leave
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16
The Volunteer Firefighter
www.fasny.com
Applications Now Being Accepted
For Phoenix Firecamp in July
The ninth annual Phoenix Firecamp, a free week-long
overnight camp for girls ages 14-19, will be held July 19-24,
2015, at the Utica Fire Training Academy.
The program, conducted by Fire Service Women of NYS, Inc.
(FSWNYS), in partnership with the Westmoreland Volunteer
Fire Department and the Utica Fire Department, is designed
to acquaint young women with their opportunities in fire and
emergency services.
The curriculum utilizes fireground and classroom training to
develop confidence, enhance leadership skills, fosters friendly
competition, nurtures community spirit, broadens problemsolving abilities, encourages team building and promotes
inclusiveness.
Hands-on exercises include aerial ladder climb, basic engine
and ladder operations, forcible entry, search and rescue, auto
extrication and disentanglement, SCBA usage, water rescue
and a propane drill. Classroom learning includes nutrition,
fitness, engine and ladder basics, and fire safety.
Although the schedule is rigorous, there is a lot of time built
in to socialize, relax, have fun and make new friends from
New York and other states. Camper housing is at the academy,
a former firehouse, so the girls have a real “firehouse living”
experience. The Phoenix instructors and team leaders are
primarily volunteer and career members of FSWNYS, who
volunteer their time and pay their own expenses for the week.
Westmoreland Volunteer Fire Department, a principal partner
in Phoenix Firecamp, donates transportation, hosts team
building exercises, an evening social event, secures donations
from area businesses and coordinates the participation of other
volunteer fire departments and their auxiliaries.
“The recruitment of young volunteers into the fire service
has never been more critical,” said James Kimball, former
Westmoreland Fire Department chief and a Phoenix staff
member. “Phoenix has proven to be a powerful tool as the
majority of the 157 graduates are now involved in the volunteer
fire service in their hometowns.”
The applicants must be in good physical condition, have
medical insurance, a positive attitude and be willing to abide by
the rules of the camp and participate in all the activities. Those
www.fasny.com
Phoenix Firecamp is free, except for a non-refundable $300
application fee. The fee will be retuned should a camper not be
selected to attend. A scholarship is also available and details are
within the application.
A maximum of 24 campers are accepted annually from
a national field of candidates. Applications are now being
accepted and must be postmarked by May 1 to be considered.
All of the Phoenix information and the application is posted at
www.fswnys.org
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The Volunteer Firefighter
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Available in Green,
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#HAT100
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Hat Clip
with Marker
#2131 $9.95
Golf Shirt
Available in Navy,
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2X $26.95 3X $27.95
4X and 5X $28.95 (Navy only)
Golf Towel
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Shirts - Hats - Towels - Hat Clips
At the conclusion of the week, the campers are CPR certified.
The curriculum is based upon International Fire Service
Training Association (IFSTA) guidelines.
accepted are expected to submit medical clearance from their
doctor, arrange for their own transportation to and from Utica
and come equipped with a pair of steel-toed shoes to substitute
for boots. Note that other protective gear is provided by the
camp.
To order, visit www.fasny.com or call 1-800-2FASNY2
17
FASNY Training
and Education
Calendar
By Jessica Kirk
Spring 2015 Training Series
This month, the FASNY Training and Education Committee
has kicked off our spring 2015 Series with “YOU… Safety and
Wellness = Survival.” Many thanks to our hosts for their continued support and efforts to make this course a success! Our
March hosts included Copenhagen Fire Department, Oswego
County Training Facility and Clifton Park Fire Department.
When you attend this course you will receive the following
OSHA credit hour(s):
Please refer to the list of course dates and locations for the end
of March, April and May 2015.
 Fire Scene Safety (45 minutes)
YOU ... Safety and Wellness = Survival
 General Hazard Recognition (30 minutes)
 Fire Station Safety (15 minutes)
 Response Safety (15 minutes)
 Protective Clothing (30 minutes)
 SCBA (15 minutes)
 Recent Developments in Fire Safety (30 minutes)
Audience:
This informative three-hour program is intended for fire, EMS,
rescue, hazmat and first response service personnel.
Key Topics Covered:
 Firefighter/life safety initiatives
 Personal responsibility
 Firefighter health and wellness
 Situational awareness and calls to action (“tailboard chats”)
18
The Volunteer Firefighter
www.fasny.com
Safety
Training
Classes
Online OSHA Refresher Course
Scheduled Courses:
March 25, 2015
West Valley Volunteer Hose Company
March 26, 2015
Frontier Volunteer Fire Company
April 7, 2015
Worcester Hose Company No. 1
April 14, 2015
Westchester County Department of
Emergency Services
April 15, 2015
Loch Sheldrake Fire Co. No. 1
April 29, 2015
Tyrone Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.
May 21, 2015
Cuba-Rushford High School The FASNY Training and Education Committee understands
your frustrations with our online training, specifically our
OSHA Refresher Course which has been unavailable since
mid-November 2014 and would like to thank you for your
ongoing patience with this project.
Our entire online training site will be undergoing
developmental updates until mid to late March 2015.
Please continue to check our website www.fasny.com for
up-to-date information.
Once again, thank you for your patience and continued
support.
Registration Information
Pre-registration fees: $20/FASNY members, $30/non-members.
On-site fee: $30/per attendee regardless of membership status.
No-shows and cancellations are non-refundable unless we are
notified five business days prior to the seminar.
How to Register
Contact FASNY by email at training@fasny.com, visit
www.fasny.com or call 1-800-2FASNY2
Proudly presented by the Firemen’s Association of the State of
New York in conjunction with VFIS.
www.fasny.com
The Volunteer Firefighter
19
A Healthy Firefighter Is Everyone’s Fight
Fighting Fires and
Beating Cancer
By Brian McQueen
“You have cancer!” … the three words that no one would ever
want to hear.
These three words are truly game changers in the life of
countless firefighters across our country. For my family, my
friends and the brotherhood within the fire service in my
county, surrounding counties and the state, the news of my
cancer diagnosis was taken quite hard by many.
In October 2013, my wife and I were planning our annual
one-week vacation with our friends in late November. I had
been dealing with cold symptoms for about two months, so my
wife finally convinced me to see my general physician, Dr. Toby
Taylor.
We thought that the enlarged lymph nodes causing the
symptoms were simply organs doing their job … fighting off
infection from a cold. Dr. Taylor prescribed antibiotics to fight
the infection that showed up as a lump in the left side of my
neck.
My condition improved with the use of the antibiotics during
vacation. However, a week after my return … so did the enlarged
lymph nodes in my neck.
20
I went back to Dr. Taylor, who prescribed another round of
antibiotics. Once again, my condition improved. But, we all
know that with any diagnosis, a follow-up was required.
Three weeks after my first visit, the doctor thoroughly examined
me, only to find out that things just didn’t seem right and further
testing was needed. He sent me for a chest X-ray and blood tests,
both of which were negative. He also recommended that I go
see an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist. My wife and I were
concerned … but the “Big C” never crossed our minds.
The ENT examined me and requested I have a short needle
biopsy. When the test results were back shortly before Christmas,
my wife, Sarah, and I met with the doctor, who so bluntly stated,
“You have B-cell lymphoma!”
That was the game changer for Sarah and me. No one in
my family ever had cancer! I never smoked a day in my life!
I remember us walking out of the doctor’s office on a cold
December day, hand in hand, crying like babies.
What do we do now? Where do we go? How much longer do
I have to live? How will we tell my son and his wife? I know all
those battling cancer ask these questions.
Who do I call for help? Is cancer curable? Do I write my obituary?
So many questions to be answered … our heads were spinning!
At the fire station, I told some of my closer friends about
the diagnosis. My assistant chief shared this information with
his wife, who in turn shared my diagnosis with her teacher’s
assistant, Sue.
The Volunteer Firefighter
www.fasny.com
“Questions started with the usual medical history … and stalled
when we reached my volunteer firefighter status.”
Sue’s husband had battled cancer and was four years cancer free.
Through emails, texts and lengthy phone calls, Sue convinced
Sarah to seek a second opinion. We decided to try Memorial
Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York City.
They heard about my cancer issue and where and how long
treatment was going to take. They wanted to help out with
the financial demands in relation to my treatment and living
expenses while in New York City.
With no referral needed, we contacted MSKCC by phone and
they immediately got us into their system, requesting test results
and ordering additional tests to be taken. On Christmas Eve, I
underwent a two-hour PET scan, which confirmed my cancer.
Would this be my last Christmas?
I met with Chief Healey and stated that thanks to my
Whitesboro Fire Department team and my brother Bob, my
personal expenses would be minimal.
The staff at MSKCC was very compassionate, understanding
and thorough with each phone call. We met with a team of
oncologists for the first time January 17, 2014.
Questions started with the usual medical history … and stalled
when we reached my volunteer
firefighter status.
The team questioned me for more
than an hour, asking about the type
of fires that I fought and investigated
over my 38-year career as a volunteer
firefighter. Were they suggesting my
lifelong passion may be killing me?
The oncologists punctuated the
meeting by stating that B-cell nonHodgkin’s lymphoma was the fastest
growing cancer in the fire service
today. Renowned oncologist Dr.
Joachim Yahalom reassured us that
he was 95 percent sure he could cure the cancer in my neck.
Sarah and I went home and spoke with our son and daughterin-law, my brother and his wife, and two close friends, informing
them I would be getting the best treatment possible.
It took some coaxing for me to leave home, but the more people
I spoke with, the picture became clearer. Treatment would be
done using a process known as Intensified Modulated Radiation
Therapy for 20 days in New York City. This therapy consisted of
me being locked down on a table wearing an upper body plastic
mask for my daily treatments.
This is when I began to understand how invaluable the
brotherhood can be during times of need.
One week into my treatments, I received a phone call from
Chief Brian Healey of the Barneveld Fire Department asking to
meet me for lunch with his Assistant Chief Brian Palmer, who
once was a member of my department.
www.fasny.com
I did ask them, however, to “pay it forward” by taking on an
anti-cancer initiative and making it grow; make it bigger so we
can help other firefighters and ladies auxiliary members fighting
cancer and other debilitating diseases.
They began fundraising in earnest with an idea to sell helmet
decals. As deputy fire coordinator in my county, my car number
is 271, so they founded the Believe
271 Foundation Inc., a not-for-profit
501(c) 3 organization.
The sale of the helmet stickers began
on St. Patrick’s Day while I was still
undergoing to treatments in NYC.
Their goal was to sell 350 stickers. To
date, they have sold over 2,500 helmet
and apparatus stickers!
Once I returned home from my
treatments, we formed a 10-member
board from representatives of fire and
ladies auxiliaries across our county.
There are countless residuals that
came from the Believe 271 mission.
Our foundation brings the fire service together to be one from
both the Oneida and Herkimer counties. Fire departments,
ladies auxiliaries, community members, former colleagues and
private companies made donations to support the mission. They
believed!
It was a neighbor helping neighbor emotionally and
educationally all across both counties as they held various
fundraisers to help support the Believe 271 mission: “No One
Will Ever Fight Alone.”
To date, the foundation has raised over $55,000 and has paid
out in excess of $11,000 to those in need. Upon request from
the foundation, I put together a 1.5-hour seminar titled: “Cancer
in the Fire Service – A Growing Epidemic.” Fire departments
in Oneida, Herkimer and Onondaga counties have hosted the
seminar, educating 930 firefighters in 108 departments about
the dangers we face in the world of faster, hotter and more
poisonous fires.
The Volunteer Firefighter
21
“I did ask them, however, to ‘pay it forward’ by taking on
an anti-cancer initiative and making it grow ...”
Our foundation offers this program free to those interested.
We have been cognizant of the cancer impairment bill that
has been discussed for four or five years in New York State. Our
foundation will stand together with the state’s fire service in
hoping that movement can be accomplished and this bill can be
passed for the volunteer fire service.
On May 7, I returned to MSKCC for my two-month checkup
and PET scan. The news on the 8th was just what I was waiting
for. “You have a clear scan from head to toe!”
While in New York, Sarah and I continued to attend mass at
St. Patrick’s Cathedral. I was blessed by one of the priests and I
lit candles for those battling cancer.
What came from all of this? Through my research using
statistics from National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health and the Firefighter Cancer Support Network, I became
educated about the dangers that firefighting can have on our
lives if we don’t heed these important messages.
From diesel exhaust in our fire station’s engine room floor, to
the plastics and carbons burning in furniture today, the need to
wear a mask and SCBA throughout all firefighting and overhaul
is essential. Using air-monitoring devices prior to overhaul and
investigations is crucial.
Early screenings are a must for all firefighters. Inclusion
of annual screenings with your annual physicals should be
budgeted and included without cost to firefighters.
Complacency should not be found anywhere in the fire service.
The NIOSH report states: “Cancers of the respiratory, digestive
and urinary systems accounted mostly for the higher rates of
cancer seen in the study population. The higher rates suggest
that firefighters are more likely to develop those cancers.”
Avenues are available for all of us to use. The Assistance to
Firefighters Grant Program allows applicants to apply for diesel
exhaust systems in their fire stations. Engine room bays can be
some of the dangerous areas for firefighters.
As apparatus start up, diesel exhaust carbons land on gear
placed in our lockers. These carbons are transferred to our skin
through absorption, thus leading to one area of the firefighter
where cancer-causing particles can enter the body. You, and
your family, depend on your health.
We were always taught that it’s not fun fighting a fire that could
have been prevented. Fighting for your life – battling cancer – is
not fun at all.
Take the initiative and get screened today. Encourage your
elected officials to place diesel exhaust systems in your stations
and stay vigilant to changing conditions attacking the fires of
today.
Together we can fight and win at fighting fires and beating
cancer!
FASNY Director Brian McQueen is a 38-year member of
the Whitesboro Volunteer Fire Department. A past chief,
he currently serves as president. He is an Nation Volunteer
Fire Council alternate for New York State, deputy fire
coordinator for Oneida County in charge of training, a
retired school administrator and current member of the
Whitesboro Central School District Board.
For more wellness resources, including firefighter health
news, studies and tips, visit www.fasny.com/wellness
In support of FASNY’s
“A Healthy Firefighter Is Everyone’s Fight” initiative,
The Volunteer Firefighter will feature stories addressing different
wellness topics specific to the fire service in each issue this year.
22
The Volunteer Firefighter
www.fasny.com
Take Care of Your
Department Members after Trauma
By Michael P. Capoziello
Sometimes … as hard as it may be for us to understand, there
are incidents that occur when we fail despite how good a crew we
may have had on the first due rigs.
Sometimes it doesn’t matter how hard you may have trained
and prepared for your moment to perform.
Sometimes it does not matter how fast you got out the door
and arrived on scene.
Sometimes bad things happen to good people.
Sometimes an incident is so bad, it will leave you questioning
why you got into this business in the first place.
No matter how large or small, busy or slow, every department
eventually at some point in time will be exposed to a traumatic
event that will shake their members as well as the community
they serve to the core.
As a chief or line officer, you need to be prepared for this
eventuality. You need to look out for your members, especially
the younger probies who, along with their families, have put their
trust in your organization.
Think about this … it’s quite possible some of your 17-,18- and
19-year-old members may have never been to a funeral, let alone
witnessed a person dying right in front of their eyes.
How do you prepare or train your probies for this moment in
time when it arrives? Unfortunately, you don’t.
A young person’s exposure to death is most likely what they
have seen on television, movies or video games. It’s a whole
different story when it’s the real deal played out before their very
eyes.
Back in the day, you either sucked it up, dealt with the situation
like a man (most of the time faking it) or you quietly faded away
from the organization.
“Let them go, we don’t need any wussies in our organization
anyway!” the gruff, old-timey chief would bark.
Who knows how many of those “wussies” walked away forever
scarred from their experiences with no support or intervention
from the organizations they trusted in when they raised their
right hands and swore to all that “stuff.”
Part of the unique and satisfying nature of serving as a volunteer
firefighter is actually serving the community you live in, perhaps
the community you grew up in. You’re serving the community
your children go to school in and serving in the community
many of your relatives and close friends reside in. “Neighbors
helping neighbors” is not just a cliché for many departments.
Unfortunately, because of this dynamic, there may be times
when we respond to traumatic incidents in which we know the
victims involved personally. The victims involved may also be
relatives or friends of friends we know. The human connection
that is normally removed from our emotions and actions as first
responders is put back into the equation. This is no longer a
nameless face in need of our help. Failure is not acceptable and
when things go bad, the emotional toll put on your responders
will be tremendous.
What can you do as leaders of your departments? You can notify
your counties respective Critical Incident Stress Management
teams (CISM), who also have professional doctors, therapists
and social workers who can be called upon if needed on their
rosters. You can call upon your local clergy to come down to the
firehouse and just be there for your members. Or, at the very
least, you can get the responders together who operated at and
witnessed the event. Give them the opportunity to simply “vent”
their emotions which will start the healing process.
You cannot ignore what happened. Talk about it, listen to each
other. If someone does not want to talk about it, that’s OK too.
Just give folks the opportunity to vent.
In a nutshell, this is what CISM and all previous models of stress
debriefing are all about. It’s about letting everyone know its OK
not to be OK, that the reactions they are having are completely
normal. It’s about being there for one another and letting them
know they are not alone in what they may be feeling.
I urge all chiefs and line officers to brush up on CISM and what
it has to offer if you are not aware of these programs already. You
can’t afford to lose good people, and possibly send them on their
way emotionally scarred and “broken” when their “sometimes”
moment arrives.
When the “sometimes” incident happens to your department,
“someone” has to realize the situation at hand and do something
to help your responders make some sense of the emotional
trauma they may be going through. Each individual, no matter
how old and no matter how much time and experience in your
department, will deal with a given situation differently.
www.fasny.com
The Volunteer Firefighter
Michael P. Capoziello is a 30-year member and former
chief of the Elmont Fire Department. He is a training
officer, public information officer and department
historian. A supervising dispatcher at Nassau County
Fire Communications FIRECOM and a training officer
on the fieldcom unit, Capoziello is also a 14-year member
of the Nassau County fire service critical incident stress
management team.
23
Small Town Catastrophe:
By Charles Angione
On April 16, 1947, an incipient fire was discovered in the
hold of a ship docked for loading at the industrial port of Texas
City, Texas. The fire was small enough so that seamen of the
French vessel, S.S. Grandchamp, could descend into the hold
to approach the minor blaze with hand held extinguishers. Less
than an hour later, the ship exploded — actually disintegrated
— with tremendous force.
The power of the blast equaled that produced by one of
our earlier atomic bombs. This explosion, together with
the conflagration and the equally powerful detonation that
followed, took 581 lives (468 confirmed dead and another 113
missing and presumed dead). The disaster also injured 3,500
people. Total casualties amounted to over a quarter of the small
town’s 15,000 residents. The property loss approached $100
million (over $700 million in today’s dollars).
How could this have happened? For one thing, the ship’s cargo
contained 2,300 tons of bagged ammonium nitrate fertilizer, 880
tons of which were in the lower hold where smoke had initially
been discovered. This was hundreds of times the amount
used in the 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in
Oklahoma.
This indirect method of attack, a technique developed and
introduced by legendary fire service pioneer Lloyd Layman,
works exceptionally well in some situations, especially on
shipboard hold or engine room fires. The one exception is
ammonium nitrate fires.
Layman was fire chief of Parkersburg, West Virginia, and was
in charge of the Coast Guard Firefighting School during World
War II. His experimentation with the indirect method of attack
proved a very successful firefighting innovation — almost
too successful. Despite Chief Layman’s narrowly restricted
endorsement, the fire service went overboard in misapplying
this universally acclaimed technique for virtually every type of
fire, utilizing the fog nozzle’s 16:1 expansion per water droplet to
develop steam. Only after many firefighters had suffered severe
steam burns due to thermal balance during interior attack on
inadequately vented areas did we begin to see the fog stream in
its proper perspective.
Back at Grandcamp, 27 volunteer firefighters arrived on
scene on all four pieces of their town’s apparatus. They were
followed shortly after by the Republic Oil Refining Company’s
fire brigade. Firefighters laid in multiple hose lines to the pier,
preparing to use standard offensive
attack procedures in venting and
extinguishing the fire. Copious
amounts of water from master streams
together with adequate ventilation
(even resorting to cutting the ship’s
plates if necessary) was exactly what
was required to prevent the dangerous build-up of heat and
pressure. Any knowledgeable fire chief could have prevented
the conflagration.
“Residents of the town had been observing an increase
in the pretty orange and pink smoke from their homes.
It was difficult to keep the crowds back in what was
developing into an almost carnival-like atmosphere.”
Ironically, this compound was generally classified as noncombustible. In fact, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s
evaluation of the product was that it required “no special
precautions regarding explosions.” Ammonium nitrate can,
of course, produce a powerful explosion, but only under
exceptional conditions. Unfortunately, those conditions, a
combination of sufficiently high temperature and pressure,
were met in the Grandchamp.
At one point, a hand line was lowered to the ship’s employees
to back up the extinguishers. The smoke increased and
threatened to overcome the crew. The men were ordered to
back out. In order to avoid water damage to the cargo, the ship’s
captain decided that they would rely upon smothering the fire,
a common procedure used successfully in the past to extinguish
shipboard hold fires. The crew battened down the hatches and
covered them with tarps. Ventilation cowls were closed off, and
steam was introduced to the fire area.
24
Unfortunately, firefighters were not permitted to perform their
jobs. They were stopped on the pier. The chief of department
was refused the legally required permission of the ship’s captain
to board the Grandchamp. The master of the ship did not want
firefighters on board to destroy cargo and otherwise do damage
to his ship.
Although the fire did not seem to be diminishing, he would
continue to employ the smothering tactics. This was not the
first time (nor the last) that calamity has resulted from staying
too long with a failing tactic. The chief protested the decision
but had no choice except to stand by on the dock.
In the meantime, residents of the town had been observing
an increase in the pretty orange and pink smoke from their
homes. Many of them hurried down to the waterfront to get
a closer look at all the excitement. It was difficult to keep the
crowds back in what was developing into an almost carnivallike atmosphere.
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The Texas City Disaster
It soon became obvious that the fire was increasing in size
and intensity. The smothering technique was not working.
Eventually, the lack of cooling water caused a considerable
heat build-up in the cargo hold. At the same time the lack
of ventilation from closing the hatches and shutting down
the ventilation system, caused a severe increase in pressure.
Suddenly the hatch covers blew off. The command was given
to abandon ship.
Shortly thereafter the inevitable explosion occurred. The
immense blast killed all of the firefighters standing by on the
pier. Prior to the World Trade Center attack, the 27 firefighters
killed in this tragedy was the largest loss of firefighter lives in
history. Many longshoremen, seamen and onlookers in the
crowd behind them perished as well, as did 145 workers at the
nearby Monsanto plant.
The enormous force of the blast produced a shock wave,
which immediately downed two light aircraft flying in the area.
It broke windows and knocked people down in Galveston, ten
miles away. It caused buildings to sway
in Baytown, over fifteen miles away. The
eruption could be heard for 150 miles.
general havoc. The explosion caused crude oil tanks to erupt in
flames, and the chain reaction that followed spread fires even
further.
For several days exhausted mutual aid firefighters from
communities as distant as Los Angeles continued to battle these
widespread blazes. Many of the fires simply ran out of fuel and
burned themselves out.
Sixty-eight years later, the Texas City disaster, with its record
numbers of casualties and terrible devastation, still ranks as the
worst industrial catastrophe in U.S. history. Its grand spectacle
rivals the wildest Hollywood disaster movie ever made.
For a complete account of this historic fire, check out The
Texas City Disaster, 1947 by Hugh W. Stephens (University of
Texas Press, 1997). Strategic Concepts in Firefighting by Edward
P. McAniff (Fire Engineering, 1983) is also illuminating. This
author gratefully acknowledges his indebtedness to these
publications.
“Burning brands showered the industrial facilities
and refining areas, causing fires and smaller
explosions. So powerful was the explosion that it
produced a 15-foot wave in the channel.”
Large and small pieces of the ship’s hull
were thrown thousands of feet, causing
devastation to nearby structures as they
crashed to earth. Hundreds of nearby
homes and businesses were flattened.
Shrapnel-like fragments of the ship were
hurled into the air. Burning brands showered the industrial
facilities and refining areas, causing fires and smaller explosions.
So powerful was the explosion that it produced a 15-foot wave
in the channel. The downward thrust of the main blast caused a
massive upheaval of water sufficient to float a 30-ton steel barge
inland, and to completely inundate the land area.
The horror at the astounding numbers of injured, maimed
and dead resulted in complete panic. Texas City’s 17 policemen
were, of course, completely over-whelmed. State troopers and
lawmen from surrounding towns rendered assistance in keeping
order and in helping with search and rescue efforts.
Preventive procedures typically become more stringent
following a great tragedy, which captures the public’s attention
and elicits its indignation. So it was with this disaster. Yes, the
fire safety procedures for hazardous materials production,
storage and transportation were improved. And yet, as we
have seen again and again, increased regulations alone are not
enough. It is often the complacent, careless and even corrupt
human violators of these regulations, which are the cause of such
incidents. And, as in Texas City, those incidents are sometimes
greatly exacerbated by the reckless presumption of those who
disregard the sound advice of knowledgeable and experienced
fire service experts.
In all the confusion, another ship with a similar cargo was
ignored until it was too late. Exposed to the Grandchamp in
an adjoining slip, the High Flyer with a cargo of 1,000 tons
of ammonium nitrate fertilizer and sulfur, ignited. Very early
the following morning, 16 hours following the explosion of
the Grandchamp, it, too, detonated spectacularly. This second
major blast — equally as powerful as the first — rocked the
community, adding flaming shrapnel to the conflagration and
Charles Angione, former operations chief for the city of
Plainfield, N.J., Fire Department, is the author of Days
and Nights of Fire. The decorated 25-year line veteran
is a National Fire Academy alumnus and a longtime
incident commander of note. Send your comments or
requests for his book (also available for purchase online at
www.ebay.com) to charlesangione@frontier.com or write
the author at P.O. Box 37, Pen Argyl, PA 18072.
www.fasny.com
The Volunteer Firefighter
25
FASNY Museum of Firefighting:
Chief Gulick and the Great Fire of 1835
By Jamie Smith Quinn
ecently, the FASNY Museum of Firefighting received a
grant for the conservation of a fire helmet in the collection.
Although the museum has numerous helmets in the collection,
this helmet has special historical significance.
This particular helmet was owned by Chief James Gulick.
Chief Gulick, or “Handsome Jim” as he was called by his
friends, was one of those larger-than-life men that you do not
often read about anymore. Standing 6’ 2” and reputably having
a superb physique, he was said to be attractive, intelligent,
confident and brave.
Gulick became chief engineer of the New York (NYC)
Volunteer Fire Department in 1831. Shortly thereafter, he was
presented with a silver trumpet “in consideration of the respect
we entertain for the character of James Gulick, our newly
appointed chief engineer, as well as for the high estimation in
which we hold his official capacities as fireman … ”
The trumpet, which cost $200, a substantial sum at the time,
was paid for by voluntary contributions from the firemen. In
1832, at a fire at Park Place, Chief Gulick bravely rescued, at
the risk of his own life, Mr. Morris Franklin. Franklin, while
holding the pipe in the attic of
the burning building, had been
pinned down by the falling
timbers of the roof.
Chief Gulick was presented
with a silver urn for his actions.
He was considered the most
popular fireman in the city,
and was said to have been very
charitable toward his men.
One of his contemporaries
commented, “Jim never could
see any of the boys suffer when
he had anything to give.”
The below-zero temperatures made the hydrants freeze, and
Chief Gulick had to resort to sending engine companies to the
East River for water, which was also frozen. The firemen cut
holes in the river to reach the water, but it quickly froze in the
hoses. It was reputed that firemen poured brandy and whiskey
in their boots and on their engines to keep them from freezing.
Those that managed to raise any water pressure at all had to get
very close to the fire to douse it, and the wicked wind blew the
water back in their faces.
Their close proximity to the fire resulted in firemen being
burned, while those just a few feet away were frostbitten.
The fire was hot enough to melt metal roofs, sending molten
embers down on the firemen. It also was so big and bright, it
was visible from 90 miles away. By all accounts, Chief Gulick
and his firemen made a heroic effort to extinguish the fire, but
the freezing temperatures and the gusty winds that continued
to fan the flames made this impossible.
Finally, on the morning of December 17, the decision was
made to use explosives to try and create firebreaks to stop the
advancing flames. Gunpowder was secured, charges set, and
several buildings along Wall
Street were blown up. The end
result was as planned: the fire
was halted from advancing,
allowing the firemen to quell
the remaining fires within the
conflagration area.
Chief Gulick is inexorably
linked to the history of
firefighting, having been the chief
during the Great Fire of 1835 in
New York City. On December
16, 1835, a fire broke out in the
business district of Manhattan.
The firemen of the city, having
fought major fires the previous
day, were exhausted. It was a
frigid night, and the winds were
howling, quickly spreading the
This print depicts “Handsome Jim” Gulick one of the most beloved fire
fire in the financial district.
chiefs of his time.
26
The Great Fire of 1835 was
in a commercial district, so
the loss of life was minimal,
as compared to the scope
of the fire: two people died.
However, the financial district
was devastated, with over 700
buildings destroyed and 50
acres charred. This fire caused
over $20 million dollars of
damage (which would roughly
be $378 million today).
The Great Fire of 1835
ruined many small insurance
companies, as they did not have
the reserve funds necessary
to pay claims. This resulted
in city and state government
requiring insurance companies
to maintain reserve funds in
the future. This fire was also the
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catalyst for the development of the modern NYC water system,
culminating in the completion of the Croton Aqueduct in 1841.
The Great Fire of 1835 was also the death knell for the
firefighting career of Chief Gulick. Although he received great
praise from his men and the general public for his management
of the fire, even being credited with saving St. Patrick’s
Cathedral, a scapegoat for the fire was needed. In retrospect,
I must also note that Chief Gulick had refused advances from
the politicians of the era to use his position to empower the
political machine of the day.
I believe, as do many today, that this was the main reason
he was attacked for his performance during the Great Fire of
1835, rather than for his actual actions at the fire. In any case,
a drawn-out investigation and a secret session ensued. During
this session, the Common Council agreed to recommend
removing Gulick as chief at the next meeting of the board,
which was scheduled for the following morning.
Gulick learned of their intentions while in command of a
fire in the Union Market. Disgusted with the injustice of the
Common Council’s actions, Gulick and the firemen left the
scene, having subdued the fire. However, the fire rekindled, and
when the firemen returned to the scene, they defiantly turned
their helmets around and refused to extinguish the flames.
The mayor, hearing of the strife at the scene, appeared and
tried to take command, but he was heckled and insulted by the
firemen who, in no uncertain terms, professed their support for
Chief Gulick. The mayor returned to city hall in disgrace.
Urged by the president of an insurance company who feared
great loss at the scene, the foreman of Engine #8 attempted to
combat the fire with his men, but he found their hoses had
been cut. With the situation escalating, someone ran to get
Chief Gulick, who appeared to the cheers of the firemen and
said, “Now, boys, let’s all go to work and put out this fire and
we will attend to the fire and water committee afterwards.”
However, the damage was done: upon his return to city hall,
the bitter mayor ensured that Gulick was formally stripped of
this command immediately.
The majority of the firemen still supported Chief Gulick and
marched on city hall, 800 strong, tendering their resignations.
However, finding that nothing could correct this injustice, the
firemen eventually complied with the direction of the Common
Council. In a final show of their admiration, the firemen
nominated Gulick for city register that year. Their support
carried him to victory, without the backing of Tammany Hall,
the political machine that had previously damned him. Gulick
died in 1861. The following resolutions were passed by the
board of engineers on the announcement of his:
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Artist’s rendering of the Great Fire of 1835.
“Whereas, the melancholy announcement being made to this
Board that another honored, valuable and tried public servant,
and for years distinguished as the pride and ornament of the
New York Fire Department, has fallen asleep in death, and
therefore be it:
Resolved, That, in our official capacity as Engineers of the
New York Fire Department, we learn with sincere sorrow of
the decease of James Gulick, ex-chief engineer, who departed
this life on the evening of Monday, Sept. 16, 1861; and that we
unite in honoring his remains in such a manner as may best
accord with the virtues and character of that great leader in the
cause of voluntary aid.
Resolved, That in the death of ex-Chief Engineer James
Gulick the New York Fire Department has lost one of its most
honorable, fearless, and devoted exemplars, the community at
large one of its most spirited and respected citizens, and his
relatives and friends one ever found faithful in all the duties
and obligations of social life.
Resolved, That no eulogium we can pass in memory of James
Gulick can enhance his claims, either as a citizen or fireman-for he was, in the full stature of manhood, “often tried, but
never found wanting.” The record of his fame can never pass
away, nor the brightness of his example be obscured by Time’s
hand. He died full of years and honors, and is now gathered to
a glorious reward.”
As mentioned, the Museum of Firefighters has received a
grant from the Greater Hudson Heritage Network to have
conservation work on Chief Gulick’s helmet completed.
The Volunteer Firefighter
Continued on next page.
27
This artifact, Chief Gulick’s helmet,
shows the ravages of time. It will be
the fortunate recipient of conservation work, due to a generous grant
award from the Greater Hudson
Heritage Network.
The Greater Hudson Heritage
Network serves member cultural
organizations, their staffs, their
boards and their communities in the
greater Hudson Valley metropolitan
region, offering consultations and
assistance, a resource network
and professional development
opportunities to advance the
work of historians, historic house
museums, heritage centers, historic
sites, archives and libraries in this
National Heritage Area.
This includes administering a
competitive grant program for
conservation treatment for objects
in dire need of this care. After many
years of service in the field and
prolonged display at the museum,
Chief Gulick’s helmet displays
both poor structural and surface
condition, making it a candidate for
this grant program.
The helmet’s combs are compromised, and there are pieces of
the brim missing. The leather is weak, and a condition called
“red rot,” which occurs when vegetable-tanned leathers have
been exposed to environments with high temperatures and
humidity during their lifetime, is evident. The surface is also
severely discolored, having once been white in hue.
The treatment proposal by Conservator Abigail Mack includes
creating a transport mount, so the fragile helmet can be moved
to the conservator’s studio for treatment. The helmet will be
cleaned, the combs will be repaired and safe methods for the
restoration of the pieces of missing brim will be considered.
In addition, the red rot condition will be treated to retard its
spread, and the helmet will undergo elemental analysis.
The FASNY Museum of Firefighting is America’s interactive
museum of firefighting! Activities for families include creative
play on selected fire engines, hands-on interactives, including
the popular bucket brigade activity, a virtual fire engine driving
activity, the new Jr. Firefighter Challenge and the Cabot/
McCadam Discovery Room. With over 60 pieces of apparatus
on exhibit, whether you’re a firefighter, a student of history or a
family looking for a fun and educational day trip, you will not
want to miss this unique museum. For more information on
the museum, visit www.fasnyfiremuseum.com
This analysis will not only help in considering how to further
treat this helmet, but could also provide information that
would be beneficial in determining more appropriate care for
all of the helmets of this era in the collection. Lastly, the helmet
will have a storage mount created specifically for the object that
will minimize the actual handling of this fragile helmet in the
future.
Preserving Chief Gulick’s helmet cannot undo the injustice
done to him during his lifetime. However, by treating the
helmet now, the longevity of this artifact will be greatly
increased. This will allow the museum to use this object in
exhibits in the future. Authentic objects from the past have the
power to connect to the people of today in ways words cannot.
This artifact will continue to assist us in telling the story of this
exemplary fireman, now and well into the future.
28
This cartoon urged voters to elect Jim Gulick city register after he was
deposed as chief.
The Volunteer Firefighter
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2015 FASNY
CONVENTION
August 18-22, 2015 • Albany, New York
www.fasny.com
The Volunteer Firefighter
29
Dear FASNY Members,
a cordial
ctors, we would like to extend to you
On behalf of the FASNY Board of Dire
Firefighter
lthy
Hea
“A
ed
FASNY Convention, them
invitation to attend the 143rd annual
Capital
’s
York
vention will once again be in New
Is Everyone’s Fight!”. This year’s Con
Center.
tion
at the Desmond Hotel and Conven
Region located in the town of Colonie
r
othe
Committee along with our staff and
The FASNY Convention and Exhibit
vention and
Con
ual
ann
r
you
of
ion
ently in preparat
committees have been working dilig
meetings of the membership.
ual meeting,
events planned. In addition to the ann
The Convention this year has many
series that
ning
ual Training Day, a Hands-On trai
attendees can enjoy Youth Day, our ann
much,
and
ort
ons at the Albany International Airp
includes airplane rescue and operati
cost with
to offer a full day of training at a low
much more! We are once again pleased
Forum,
to the success of last year’s Fire Police
pre-registration to our members. Due
Be sure to
k.
trac
Day
ning
police program as a Trai
FASNY will be offering a full-day fire
register early to obtain class seating.
on location at
ther the annual outing for you right
Also by your request, we have put toge
Party”. You
Center, an “International Night Dinner
the Desmond Hotel and Convention
sure to visit
Day in August” Hospitality Night. Be
won’t want to miss our “St. Patrick’s
tion.
www.fasny.com for all of the informa
activities as
area provides many venues for other
The town of Colonie and the Albany
g “The
malls, walking the many parks, includin
well, including shopping at its many
arters, where we
n the street from Convention headqu
Crossings Park of Colonie” just dow
se walking
of Secretary Michael D. Whelan. Tho
have planned a special walk in memory
experience an
ghters with cancer. After a good walk,
firefi
our
to
ding
fun
vide
pro
help
will
immediate area.
array of fine dining selections in the
all of
The Volunteer Firefighter magazine for
Take a look on the FASNY website and
will include
details. We hope your plans this year
our planned events and Convention
tion in the town of Colonie, Albany.
attending our 143rd FASNY Conven
LTHY!
WE WELCOME YOU AND STAY HEA
Sincerely,
Robert N. McConville
FASNY President
Headquarters
30
Kenneth Pienkowski
Chairman
David A. Quinn
FASNY CAO/Vice Chairman
For accommodations information and an official housing
application, please visit www.fasny.com or call (800) 2FASNY2.
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FASNY Convention Schedule
Tuesday, August 18
Golf Tournament Benefiting the New York State Fallen Firefighters
Memorial and National Fallen Firefighters Foundation
Fairways at Halfmoon
Wednesday, August 19
Friday, August 21 –
FASNY’s 6th Annual Training Day and 7th Annual Youth Day
7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
7th Annual Youth Day
Rensselaer County Fire Training Center
7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Registration, Secretary’s Office and FASNY Store Opens
Fort Orange Ballroom
Noon – 4:00 p.m.
Registration, Secretary’s Office and FASNY Store Opens
Exhibits Open
Fort Orange Courtyard
8:00 a.m.
6th Annual Training Day Forums and
Hands-On Training Sessions Begin
Desmond Conference Center/Albany Airport
Ladies Event
TBA
6:30 p.m. Cocktails 7:00 p.m. Dinner
FASNY Past Presidents Dinner
King Street Ballroom
8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Exhibits Open
12:30 – 4:00 p.m.
Ladies Event
TBA
Thursday, August 20
7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Registration, Secretary’s Office and FASNY Store Opens
Fort Orange Ballroom
8:00 a.m.
The Annual Memorial Service Remembering Our Deceased
Members Followed by Opening Ceremonies of the 143rd FASNY
Annual Convention
King Street Ballroom
8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Exhibits Open
Fort Orange Courtyard
LAFASNY Installation
Holiday Inn on Wolf Road
7:00 – 11:00 p.m.
Sectional Hospitality Night – St. Patrick’s Day in August
Fort Orange Courtyard
9:00 p.m.
Gerard J. Buckenmeyer FASNY Volunteer Scholarship Fund Auction
TBA
Saturday, August 22
12:30 p.m.
FASNY Federal Credit Union Annual Membership Meeting
King Street Ballroom
8:00 a.m. – Noon
Registration, Secretary’s Office and FASNY Store Opens
1:00 p.m.
2% Tax Forum
King Street Ballroom
9:00 a.m.
President Robert N. McConville Convenes
the Final Session of the 143rd Annual Convention
King Street Ballroom
2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Ladies Event
TBA
11:00 a.m. – Noon
FASNY Heroes Award Ceremony Sponsored by:
King Street Ballroom
4:00 p.m.
Michael D. Whelan “Walk in the Park”
The Crossings Park of Colonie
Noon
Scheduled Adjournment of the 143rd Annual Convention
In the event of a contested election, the meeting will adjourn after the
polls are closed.
King Street Ballroom
6:30 p.m.
International Night Dinner Party
King Street Ballroom
www.fasny.com
*Room locations and times are subject to change*
The Volunteer Firefighter
31
FriDAY, August 21, 2015
Hands-On Training
“Foam Operations / Ethanol-Crude
Awareness Level”
“Are You Prepared for an Aircraft
Incident in Your Community?”
Friday, August 21
Desmond Hotel and Conference Center
Friday, August 21
Albany International Airport
Albany Shaker Road, Albany, NY
by Jim Cottrell, National Foam
8:00 – 11:30 a.m.
12:30 p.m. Registration at the Desmond Hotel and Conference Center
12:50 p.m. Shuttle from the Desmond
1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Program
Course Description
I. Introduction to Class B Fuels in Transit
by Christopher Menge
Station #1
• Light crude and ethanol spill fire behavior.
II. Firefighting Foams in General
• A&B foam concentrate storage and handling.
• Alcohol-resistant concentrates, solutions and finished foam.
• Mitigating environmental impact and right to know issues.
• Logistics support for ethanol, gasoline and light crude
firefighting, including un-ignited spills.
• What are the expectations at home and the airport?
• Overview of emergency considerations
• Who needs to be notified
• What can you expect from the airport
• What can you expect from federal agencies
Station #2
III. Foam Proportioners & Appliances
• Crash Trucks 101 and resupply operations
• Low and medium foam production and application
techniques.
• Overview of crash apparatus
• Hands-on tools and abilities of ARFF equipment
• Educators made easy.
• How to resupply the apparatus from a structural engine
• Managing safety and security at un-ignited crude or ethanol
transportation spills.
Station #3
• Hands-on scenarios aboard a 727
• Demonstrating foam application appliances techniques from
12 to 500 gpm.
• Search procedures
• Hazard identification
Three contact hours (2.5 classroom, 0.5 outside demo).
No turnout gear required.
Full PPE required. MUST take shuttle to and from the airport.
Pre-registration only.
Fees: $25/FASNY members, $30/Non-FASNY members for each program.
$40/FASNY members, $50/Non-FASNY members for both programs.
Hands-on courses are PRE-REGISTRATION only. Space is limited.
Those who register for both programs receive free lunch and T-shirt! Registration forms available at www.fasny.com
32
The Volunteer Firefighter
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Sixth Annual Training Day
Track 1
8:00 – 11:30 a.m. (Part I), 1:00 – 4:30 p.m. (Part II)
“Traffic Incident Management: Life & Death in the Fast Lane”
by Dennis L. Rubin
The fire-rescue service’s exposure risk for death and injury in all types of vehicle crashes is exceptional high. Within the U.S., three motor
vehicle accidents are reported every single minute of every single day. So, that means there are 180 crashes per hour; 4,320 collisions
per day; and over 1.5 million automotive crashes each year. On average, five fire-rescue service members will die in the line of duty while working on the
streets of our nation at vehicle accidents (12 police officers will lose their lives at the same events). Attendees will learn to identify hazards and unsafe
behaviors at crash sites and then take part in various table-top scenarios.
Track 2
8:00 – 9:30 a.m.
1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
“Mayday for Mental Health”
“The Professional Volunteer Fire
Department” by Tom Merrill
by Patrick J. Kenny
The fire service has made it a priority to better protect our
members in various areas including national programs
on seatbelt pledges, cancer awareness and the like, culminating with the
establishment of the 16 Life Safety Initiatives established by the National
Fallen Firefighters Foundation. But, the fire service continues to struggle with
mental health due in large part to the culture of being brave and very private.
Life Safety Initiative #13 speaks directly to the issue of counseling and
psychological support for not only the firefighter, but for his or her family. This
presentation examines the culture as it relates to mental health awareness,
the history of how we have dealt with traumatic incidents and some basic
definitions of common mental health conditions.
This presentation delivers the message that being a professional
firefighter has nothing to do with earning a paycheck, but
has everything to do with attitude, appearance, commitment, and dedication. In
addition to defining and citing examples of professional behavior, attendee will be
provided with a series of ideas (called building blocks) to assist with developing
and maintaining a professional operation in their home departments. They will
learn that successfully creating and maintaining a professional image can help
with membership recruitment and retention, an extremely important concern today.
Attendees will walk away from the presentation with a clear understanding that
developing, maintaining and upholding a professional reputation is the duty and
responsibility of all firefighters – paid or volunteer.
10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
3:00 – 4:30 p.m.
“The Art of Dealing with Negativity in
the Fire Service”
“Observations from 30,000 Feet:
Modern Challenges and Opportunities
for the Fire Service” by Timothy Sendelbach
by Lt. Bill Greenwood
Many fire departments have not prepared their fire officers
on how to deal with people. Running an emergency is the easy part … but
the day-to-day grind often causes the greatest headaches in an organization.
This course will introduce effective personality-based communications. We
will discuss listening more and talking less as the key to problem solving
and identifying underlying problems. By learning the different types of
personalities embedded within your organization, you will come to better
engage members both in the station and during emergencies. This course will
also discuss compensating behaviors, strategies for conflict resolution and
positive reinforced interactions.
As firefighters and fire officers, we often times view the
problems we face day-to-day as local or unique. But, the reality is that most of the
problems we face in the fire service are shared throughout the nation (volunteer,
paid, urban, suburban and rural). This high-impact, high-energy program will
highlight the challenges faced by firefighters and fire officers throughout the
nation while sharing critical insight into the opportunities these challenges bring
to current and future leaders of the fire service. This program is a no-holds-barred
presentation designed to uphold the mission of our profession while challenging
our daily routines and the decisions that accompany them.
Fees: $20/FASNY members, $30/Non-FASNY members for pre-registration. $45 on-site regardless of member status.
www.fasny.com
The Volunteer Firefighter
33
Past Presidents Dinner
Contact Information
Wednesday, August 19, 6:30 p.m.
FASNY Office
107 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12210
(800) 2FASNY2
Fax: (518) 426-0139
www.fasny.com
fasny@fasny.com
Attend this annual dinner hosted at the Desmond Hotel and Conference Center
Cost: $55 – Send cash or check to:
Past President James A. Burns
504 Creek Road
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
Contact nycar1@aol.com for additional information
Housing Committee
International Night Dinner Party
Thursday, August 20, 6:30 p.m.
Join us as we travel around the world to enjoy American, German, Irish and Italian
cuisine as well as spirits and music at the Desmond Hotel and Conference Center
Cost: $50 per person through August 10, $60 after that.
Visit www.fasny.com to download the registration form.
SAVE THE DATE
Sectional
Hospitality Night
7 p.m. Friday, August 21
Fort Orange Courtyard at the Desmond
Join us for this year’s
“St. Patrick’s Day in August”
theme party
at the
143rd FASNY Convention
34
G
O
L
F
E
R
S
FASNY Housing Coordinator
FASNY
107 Washington Avenue
Albany, New York 12210
fasnyhousing@fasny.com
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The Volunteer Firefighter
www.fasny.com
7th Annual
Youth Day
SAVE THE DATE FRIday
Rensselaer County fire Training Center
Macha Lane, WynanTskill, NY 12198
2015
At the 2015 FASNY Convention
AUGUST 21
7:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Registration and complimentary continental breakfast
(promptness is appreciated)
Fire Service Activities and Evolutions
* NFPA-compliant turnout gear, SCBA equipment, safety glass/goggles,
waiver forms and applications are required.
Training registration forms coming soon to www.fasny.com/youth
www.fasny.com
The Volunteer Firefighter
35
Our
Home
inHudson
By David F. Schmidt, Vice President
Home Board of Trustees
36
TheThe
Volunteer
Volunteer
Firefighter
Firefighter
www.fasny.com
www.fasny.com
The Core of Our Care
he FASNY Firemen’s Home has many
dedicated employees who are responsible for the care and well being of
our members.
Over the course of the next several issues, I would like to make you aware of
the various departments and how they all
work so well together to make the Home,
the “home away from home” that it is.
The largest department of the facility is
nursing. Clarice Bobb is the director of
nursing and responsible for its operation.
At the time of this writing, there are
85 employees responsible for the care of
the members. Of course this must occur
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including
holidays.
The nursing department is not only taking care of the members in the building
but must be with them on the trips that
are taken to neighboring fire departments
and sectional events. We participate in
many pancake breakfasts and chicken
dinners in the area.
They are also present when there are activities on site. When groups visit or when
the annual baseball tournament occurs,
they are right there. They are also with
them when they leave to attend doctor
and dentist appointments. This depart-
ment is also directly responsible for the
safety of the members if any emergency
arises in the building.
Membership in the home is available to
any volunteer firefighter of New York State
over the age of 60 with one year of service
and departed in good standing.
If skilled nursing is required or if they
are otherwise disabled, the age requirement is waived.
FASNY FIREMEN’S HOME RESIDENTS’ BIRTHDAYS
The following residents of the Firemen’s Home celebrate their birthdays in the months of March and April.
Please feel free to send cards or happy birthday wishes. These brighten their day and always put a smile on
their face.
March1
7
14
23
25
26
Brian F. Navom, Columbia County, S. W. Smith Hook & Ladder
Albert Canelli, Dutchess County, Rombout Fire Company, Inc.
Dominic P. Shiels, Westchester County, Southside Engine Co. No. 4, White Plains
Bernard L. Turek, Columbia County, H. W. Rogers Hose Company, Hudson
Deanna J. Vanschaack, Greene County, D.M. Hamilton Steamer Co. No. 2 Ladies Auxiliary
Robert H. Hicks, Nassau County, Manhasset Lakeville Co. 3
April4
7
17
18
27
30
John Mulligan, Ulster County, Washington H & L Co. No. 1, Saugerties
Francis D. Zegers, Nassau County, Valley Stream Fire Department
Raymond J. Smith, Greene County, Haines Falls Volunteer Fire Company
Matthew E. Grefe Jr., Nassau County, Sea Cliff Fire Department
Conchetta A. Formichelli, Columbia County, Spouse
Sam J. Perrotti, Nassau County, Valley Stream Fire Department
Edward J. Schindler, Columbia County, Tri-Village Fire Company
Dudley R. Philhower, Suffolk County, Stony Brook Volunteer Fire Department
www.fasny.com
The Volunteer Firefighter
37
Home Highlights
38
FASNY Museum of Firefighting staffer Lori Decker (far left) poses with Charles
“Chubby” Faillace and Home Activity Aide Susan Ray during the museum’s
holiday gift shop at the Home event December 1.
Members of Greenport Pumper Company 1 came to the Home for horseracing
in December.
Home resident Bob Van Valkenburg plays bingo with his daughter during a
round of games presented by the Hudson Elks Club in December.
On Christmas Morning, the Home hosted a band that played for residents gathered in both the multi-purpose room and individual units.
Residents Graham Vandall, Billy Rosenhagen and Bob Kargoll sport red shirts
and watch a shuffleboard match during a tournament hosted by the Catskill Fire
Department January 9.
Past Chief of the Peekskill Fire Department Chief Bob Boddie stopped by the
FASNY Firemen’s Home January 20 with a donation of handmade quilts from
the Peekskill Senior Quilt Club.
Photos by Corey Simmons
The Volunteer Firefighter
www.fasny.com
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The Volunteer Firefighter
39
FASNY Remembers
Secretary Michael D. Whelan (1946-2014)
Ed. note: Longtime FASNY Secretary Michael D. Whelan passed away December 18, 2014. The following are eulogies delivered at his funeral services
and remembrances submitted by FASNY officers, directors and friends.
His dedication to all of us, incredible talents and faithful pursuit of
FASNY’s purpose and missions will likely be looked upon decades from
now, prominently with Michael D. Whelan’s name associated with it.
David Quinn, FASNY Chief Administrative Officer
I will never forget the final day of the 2003 Convention. Out on the
deck outside the registration room, Mike pulled me aside.
Michael Whelan and I got off to an unusual start. The 2003 FASNY
Convention was to be the beginning of our long friendship and
relationship, although neither one of us would have any way of
knowing this at the time. In fact, we might have even debated at that
time that this was more unlikely than likely. I had been at the office
less than a month when the Convention hit.
You can imagine the culture shock!
And yet here we are ... 11 years later with Michael and now left
with wonderful memories and stories.
I could go on with lots of stories, some of which he would want
me to tell you, others he would not want me to tell you and some
neither of us want to tell you. Perhaps maybe even including a 24hour period just prior to the 2005 Lake Placid Convention
which neither of us have a lot of recollection of due to
his chardonnay and my cabernet.
All the FASNY staff really loved Michael.
lt was at that point I knew things were going to be OK. We shook
hands made a personal promise to each other, one which we both
adhered to until this past Wednesday night, when he officially left
office. That was part of our commitment to one another-until either
of us left office.
So it’s only fitting I think as our hands depart, we leave
Michael and his very close friend with these two gloves:
Pinned to both of the gloves is our firefighter’s
symbol: the Maltese cross. lts four points represent:
Sacrifice –Michael made a lot of sacrifices in
his life for others.
He touched every one of us in only ways that
Michael could with his uncanny ability to
form many long-lasting friendships. He was
an advocate for the staff, working closely with
all of them weekly, sometimes daily, and we all
loved him for his counsel and tireless help with
IMIS, our database computer system which
by the way Michael brought to FASNY. He was
the IMIS information help desk. And he saved
thousands of dollars.
Courage – He took on when change needed
to happen within FASNY and the volunteer
fire service even when it was not going to be
easiest or the most accepted decision. He also
boldly faced in battling his cancer.
He was a joy to have in the office, providing a fair
amount of humor as you might expect. That came free with
the trip to the office. I gave him an office down the hall when we
moved to the first floor of our building, but mostly he preferred to
work in the board room outside my office. I thought he just wanted
to be closer to me and then realized the Candy Bowl is located in
my office … But seriously, the board room provided more space to
encourage interaction and involvement and interact with the staff
and others while he was busily working on association business.
He taught us many, many things we might not otherwise know,
showed us the importance of accuracy and at the same time was
preparing us to be on our own, even though we’d rather have him
here with us forever.
Michael was instrumental in getting FASNY’s membership to
nearly 45,000 from 7,000, and showed us the way leading us in how
to account for and take care of those 45,000 firefighters.
Over the past 11 years, he has helped us grow and thus the
association has grown, flourishing to what it is today – in countless
ways thanks to Michael.
40
“Look, FASNY is growing at such an accelerated rate, I know I can’t
keep up with this by myself. We just need to figure out how we can
do this together so you can do what the board expects out of their
very first CAO and I can do what I need to in meeting my obligations
as the secretary. I am giving you and the staff my full support, 100
percent. If you need anything, just ask.”
Dedication – His extraordinary and tenacious
abilities on FASNY’s history, record keeping and
research goes without saying (read every book of
proceedings: 73 in all).
Honor – He spent an incredible amount of time making things
better, meticulously reviewing magazines, articles, applications,
forms, and nearly everything touching each of the many FASNY
missions because it was the honorable and beneficial thing to do for
the association and it members.
The right-hand glove, the glove of friendship representing our
many years in service together, is our hand in strength, the hand
that reaches out in friendship and assistance. Michael reached out to
all of us here, and held on to us just as we held on to him, forming
many long lasting friendships. So this afternoon while we have to say
farewell, we place the right hand glove with our friend and brother
signifying our eternal friendship even after death.
Also in remembrance of Michael is the left-hand glove, the glove
of honor. It is the glove given in memory and honor of the life of
Michael. lt is the hand closest to our hearts as Michael has also been
close to our hearts. I can’t think of anyone more fitting to receive
Michael’s glove of honor than his lifelong friend David Brolan. So
David, it is my honor to give you Michael’s glove of honor.
The Volunteer Firefighter
www.fasny.com
Bob McConville, FASNY President
As I prepared to assume the role as president earlier this year, I
talked about making small changes that build upon things FASNY
was already doing that were working well, but just needed a little
work. At one of our board meetings, after I talked about some changes
I wanted to make, Michael looked at me and said, “You’re a tweaker.”
I looked around and was not sure what he meant by that. I then
said to Michael, “I am a tweaker? Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”
Michael responded by saying that he felt an approach of building on
past successes and then tweaking things where needed was the right
approach.
This was Michael’s philosophy: take the lessons of history and the
past and apply them wisely to move the volunteer fire service forward.
Michael was a tremendous secretary for FASNY. He always had
every fact, rule, policy, by-law, guideline or figure either in his head,
or he could look it up for you in a matter of minutes.
I will miss those talks with Michael. I will miss his guidance and
advice in board meetings and at FASNY Conventions. But most
of all, I will miss his wit, I will miss his warmth and I will forever
miss his friendship. Godspeed, Michael.
The Rev. Wayne Jagow, FASNY Chaplain
Maureen and I have a mix of emotions at the loss of Michael
Whelan, who was such a special member of the FASNY family.
Those emotions come out in tears because he was not only
encouraging to Maureen, but a wonderful friend and mentor to
me. I called him my FASNY professor!
Sighs because we wonder who will ever replace such a kind,
knowledgeable and dedicated person?
Smiles because his wish was to be with his wife, Annie, at
Christmas and now they are together in the family of God.
Our prayer is that Michael enjoys the peace that passes all
understanding.
Even as he fought this especially devastating form or cancer, many
times he would pleasantly take calls while receiving chemo therapy
infusions and if he didn’t have the info you needed off the top of his
head, he would tell you, I will call you with it as soon as I get home.
And he always did. Michael never forgot anything.
Edward M. Cooke, FASNY Attorney
Michael was a student of history. He was also an excellent
parliamentarian. I never used that word until I met Michael. He
knew all the rules, why they were made and he knew how and when
to apply them. Michael knew that the best way to chart our course
into the future was to look back at what our predecessors had done in
the past and apply those lessons to our current situation.
Perhaps there will come some time when there will be another
individual to look back upon the FASNY entity and I am confident
that the name of Michael Whelan will be prominently displayed
in that history.
He also knew when it was time to update the rules to meet today’s
challenges. But, most importantly, Michael was a moral compass in
board meetings. He always made sure we were doing the right thing
and that we were doing it the right way – all the time.
Michael was passionate about FASNY and the volunteer fire
service. That passion shined whenever he took the floor to speak at a
meeting or other gatherings. When Michael spoke, people listened.
In addition to being a great speaker, he was also an excellent writer
and editor. Michael knew that communications was key to the
success of FASNY’s efforts to assist the volunteer fire service across
the state.
Among the other thousand things Michael did, one of the most
important was being chairman of our editorial and publications
committee. He was a stickler for grammar and proper use of
language. He would cull over every page and every word in each
edition of The Volunteer Firefighter magazine before it was approved
for publication. He did the same for all FASNY publications, from
fliers to brochures: nothing went out in print until Michael had
reviewed and approved it.
As many of you know, Michael was also as comfortable in a
hospitality room as he was in the board room. He would sit and chat
with you in depth for an hour about this topic or that and it would
seem like you just began speaking with him a few minutes before.
www.fasny.com
As secretary of FASNY, Mike took pride in his knowledge of
the corporation’s historical perspective, which he tenaciously
searched on a regular basis. We loved him for this and for all his
extraordinary endeavors an behalf of the association.
Mike was a talented, honorable, intelligent and dedicated
individual who will be missed by Colleen and me, along with all of
you in the FASNY family. At this time, may we all join in a prayer
asking the Master of our Universe to accept Mike into His good
place, and give him rest.
Gene Perry, FASNY Director
Mike was an amazing man with an amazing gift, to be able
to read, take in and instantly recall chapter and verse of the
association’s history is something that I don’t think anyone will
ever be able to duplicate. I saw Mike last Tuesday and although he
was very weak, he still was the person that I first met back in 1995
at the Legislative Conference, still telling stories. I’m glad I got to
see and talk to him one last time.
Eternal rest, grant unto him, oh Lord and may the perpetual
light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. May his soul and the
souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest
in peace. Amen.
Rest easy, Mike. We’ll take it from here.
Steve Klein, FASNY Second Vice President
The effect Michael had on this association will never be fully
realized. His shoes will be impossible to fill. May he rest in peace.
The Volunteer Firefighter
41
REGIONALS
LAFASNY
Jean Christensen
West Sayville • NY
Let me open with expressing sincere sympathy on the loss of FASNY
Secretary Michael Whelan. The love and adoration shown was a tribute to one of our great leaders.
Just a quick reminder there is a change in our convention days and
dates. These have all been noted in your January mailing with the hotel
form. Hopefully you’ve all received them.
The Hotel Reservation Form, Luncheon Form and Delegates Credentials to the auxiliaries, along with all our important notices were in
your January mailing. To receive all this, please be sure to notify our
Financial Secretary Diana Balling of any address changes. It is once
again imperative that you use our reservation form for the Holiday Inn
on Wolf Road and send your reservation directly to the hotel. This is
how we defray our costs for use of the meeting rooms.
Junior Past President Marilyn Farrell is in charge of our luncheon
and all reservations should be returned to her. Again, we have a dietary spending quota we must reach.
A meeting was recently held between the FASNY presidents and
the LAFASNY presidents. I believe much was accomplished and there
will be more to come in the future announcements. We do expect to
have FASNY Director Brian McQueen speak at our May 16 meeting
at the FASNY Firemen’s Home about “Cancer In The Fire Service, A
Growing Epidemic.” This will be a very important subject matter and
encourage all members to attend this meeting if possible. It’s a subject
matter to listen to and bring back to your home organizations.
One more reminder, we do have two positions open as of August.
We have our annual need for a five-year director and this year the position of financial secretary is available.
Please take this information to your auxiliaries. I’m sure there are
plenty of qualified ladies that attend our meetings and are capable and
willing to take on these responsibilities. The letters of endorsement for
all offices are to be sent to Past President Valerie Clark, 2532 Otisco
Valley Road, Marietta, NY 13110.
Our next meeting is on April 18 in Niagara County and hosted by
the Shawnee Ladies Auxiliary. Hope to see many of you there. Always
nice to go someplace new and do appreciate the assistance of Mary
Korkuc for making the arrangements for these ladies to be hosting
this meeting.
– Jo Ann Dunn, President
42
Pictured here is President Judy Hubbs of the Bridgeport Volunteer Fire Co.
Ladies Auxiliary (Madison County) presenting Regina “Virgie” Rhode with
her 55-year auxiliary membership pin.
Virgie joined our auxiliary in 1959 as the wife of a dairy farmer and
mother. Virgie continues to this day to be a very active member of our
auxiliary. She found time, not only to be in the auxiliary but also to
raise six children while holding office for several years, including being president of our auxiliary.
Virgie was chairperson of the food tent at our annual Labor Field
Days for numerous years, which for years ran for five days, then down
to four days for the holiday weekend.
She has also chaired numerous committees throughout the years,
played pushball and marched and was chairperson for the kitchen for
our fire department’s bingo every Tuesday night. She found time to
spend day and night at our firehouse several years ago during severe
flooding in our community, not only cooking for the volunteers but
also caring for some of our children as we were filling sandbags. She is
known in our fire department family to the kids as “Babcia.”
Virgie continues to also be active not only in Bridgeport, but is my
“traveling partner” as we travel the county and state, being an active
member of LAFASNY, Ladies Auxiliary Central New York Firemen’s
Association, Madison County Firemen’s Association Ladies Auxiliary
and Ladies Auxiliary Onondaga County Firemen’s Association.
Please join me in congratulating Virgie on her milestone of 55 years
of active service to not only our auxiliary and fire department but to
our community. Thanks Virg!
– Beth Smith, Recording/Corresponding Secretary
As is LAFASNY’s custom, several of our officers attended the Residence Council Christmas Tree lighting ceremony at the Firemen’s
Home. The members, guests, families, trustees and FASNY officers
crowded the porch area waiting for the “big moment.” The Home itself with every room decorated for the occasion is transformed into a
cheery Christmas scene.
It is standing-room-only in the porch area where everyone gathers
to watch the switch being thrown. It is quite a site when all the decorated trees in the porch area and the outside decorations are illumi-
The Volunteer Firefighter
www.fasny.com
REGIONALS
nated spreading their Christmas cheer to all present. The darkness is
transformed into a Christmas wonderland thanks to the efforts of the
Home maintenance staff. The honor of throwing the switch this year
went to Helen Tomlin who has resided in the Home along with her
husband since March 13, 2006. She is the oldest seniority resident of
the Home.
Once again this year, my van was overflowing with gifts supplied by
the many auxiliaries of Central New York and their members, barely
leaving room for our personal luggage. That is a wonderful problem
to have each year. The gifts are really appreciated by the members and
they certainly brighten up the festivities of the season. The gifts that
we brought to the Home were put into the activities room to be distributed to the members by Alfrieda and her staff the week prior to
Christmas.
Following the lighting and snacks, the members adjourned to the
multipurpose room to enjoy an evening of horse racing which is always a very popular event. Visiting the Home and the members is
always such a rewarding experience – especially during the holiday
season. I am always amazed at the very busy social calendar of the
Home. I think they are busier than I am especially during the holidays.
At the August LAFASNY Convention in Albany, I began my first
year as LAFASNY Treasurer. Serving as a LAFASNY officer is a goal
that all members should aspire to. Traveling the state, developing more
friendships from auxiliaries never before visited, is both rewarding
and enjoyable and I have just begun. Each trip allows me to meet more
auxiliary members and gain more friends. Each meeting is a learning
experience.
Hope to see you all in April!
– Genevieve Blair, Treasurer
Spring is just about upon us! I love living in the Northeast, where
you can experience every season. Spring is the rebirth! It’s especially
nice to watch the grass turn green and the buds start to pop out on the
flowers and trees! This process makes you appreciate everything a little
bit more! Many few this time of the year as: winter is over! We must be
thankful that this winter hasn’t been as bad as last year!
During the winter months, I have been receiving notifications of
members that have passed. Continue to send them to me either by email
(dlb@megacity.org) or by mail (1041 Blue Mountain Road, Saugerties
NY 12477). Don’t worry if you’re unsure whether it was previously submitted. I would rather get it more than once than not at all. LAFASNY
remembers all members of auxiliaries across the state who have passed
away. They do not have to belong to LAFASNY to be remembered.
LAFASNY needs to get to you, the member, information regarding
our auxiliary, so make sure your address is up to date. In order to do
this, we need to be added to your list of people to notify when you
move or change officers in your auxiliary, which then might change
the mailing address.
With the better weather approaching, the elderly in your area like
to be remembered! If you see someone struggling in the parking lot,
step forward and help! It will put a smile on their face and one in your
heart! If you hear of someone in need due to health problems or other
unforeseen issues, step forward with whatever aid you can give: no
matter how big or small. Most often the tiniest of deeds will be the
biggest deed to those you are helping!
Hope to see everyone at the April 18 meeting in Shawnee! Travel safe
and stay healthy!
– Diana Balling, Financial Secretary
LAFASNY President JoAnn Dunn installed the officers of the Hinsdale Ladies Auxiliary at the Installation Dinner January 31. Those
installed were President Karen Perkis, Vice President Vickie Brooks,
Secretary Marlee Jones, Treasurer Mary Landis, Chaplain Valerie
Jones, One-Year Director Cheryl Jones, Two-Year Director Valerie
Jones and Three-Year Director Rae Ann Fitch.
– Karen Perkis
By the time you read this article, your January mailing should have
arrived in your mailbox. If you didn’t receive it, please let Recording
Secretary Beth Smith or myself know. This newsletter contained important information regarding LAFASNY.
For auxiliaries, the January mailing contained the Delegate Form for
the 2015 Convention to be held at the Holiday Inn on Wolf Road in
Albany. Please fill out the delegate form and return to me as soon as
you are able. This will ensure that delegate guidelines will be mailed
to them.
For all individual members and auxiliaries that were sent a dues
statement: please mail in your dues ahead of convention. You can
bring it to either April 18 (Shawnee in Niagara County) or the May 16
(Firemen’s Home in Columbia County) meeting to save time at convention. With the hours being shorter for registration, this will save
you time.
www.fasny.com
The Westhampton Beach Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary cooked
and hosted dinner for Maureen’s Haven Homeless Outreach Project
January 11. They served 32 guests dinner, dessert and drinks. Also, the
ladies donated clothing and toiletries for those in need. Pictured above
are: Tara Kappel, Carol Del Vecchio, Joy Makarewicz, Pat Gonce, Felicia Williford, Meena Chockaligam, Kristi Garcia, John Makarewicz
and Cody Hoyle.
Photo submitted by Cody Hoyle
The Volunteer Firefighter
43
REGIONALS
The steering committee will meet prior to the April meeting to prepare endorsements for FASNY officers.
Western New York
FASNY Director Ed Tase reported that FASNY Secretary Michael
Whelan passed away in December. This is a loss of monumental proportions.
Stanley MacWilliams
Caledonia • NY
Here in Western New York, winter blows on. The snowplows roll by
and the snow shovel is getting a lot of use. We are one day closer to
spring, a nice smile of things turning green.
At the January 11 meeting hosted by the Cambria Fire Company,
Lockport, Niagara County, with 67 members and guests present, a lot
of information on committee and convention activities was shared.
On a cold, snowless day there were eight trustees and eight past
presidents present.
When you read this, the Western New York Volunteer Firemen’s
Association Bowling Committee will have just completed the annual
tournament held at the Allie Brandt Lanes in Lockport. Thanks to the
committee for all the hard work and the bowlers who participated.
Results later on …
One topic that is very busy each year and has an updated report
at each meeting is the WNYVFA Program Book Committee, which
works with Support Services of New York to get ads for the WNYVFA
convention book.
The WNYVFA Fireman of the Year Committee announced the letters are out. Awards will be presented on Saturday, July 25, at 10:00
a.m. in the Cambria Fire Company Banquet Hall.
The fire officers committee reported that the Niagara County Sheriff ’s Department Mobile Command Vehicle would be on display and
Mercy Flight Ground School at 2:00 p.m. Friday, July 24.
The fire police committee reports that letters will be out soon. The
Fire Police Seminar will be held at noon Saturday, July 25, with the On
Road Training Performance-Competition at 2:00 p.m. We need more
nominations for Fire Police Awards!
The WNYVFA Fire Prevention Committee reported that the 2015
essays were almost in. Winners will be announced at the April meeting
with checks and plaques will be handed out.
FASNY Legislative Committee Chairman Robin Schott reported
on the Legislative Conference held in Albany. He spoke on the bills
passed and signed into law. He discussed the 2015-16 FASNY Legislative Agenda.
The April 12 meeting of WNYVFA will start at noon for the annual
Legislative Outreach Program followed by the regular meeting at 2:00
p.m.
The WNYVFA Memorial Scholarship Committee reported that notices have been sent out regarding scholarship applications.
The nominations committee requested that nominations for various
elected officers need to be sent in as soon as possible.
The parade chairman reported that the parade will be on Saturday,
July 25, at 6:30 p.m. on Cambria-Wilson Road to the fire hall.
44
This writer worked with Secretary Whelan on the FASNY Public Relations Committee. I always called him FASNY’s unpolished diamond
of exceptional value. His memory will indeed be there to “light the
corners of our minds.”
Be it known to all WNYVFA officers and committee chairmen that
pictures for the local convention book will be taken at the April meeting. Please come dressed accordingly.
Convention dates have change for 2015! Highlights:
• Thursday, July 23 – Golf outing, kick-off dinner and beer tent
• Friday, July 24 – Official opening, ladies auxiliary meeting, past
presidents dinner and EMS competition
• Saturday, July 25 – Memorial service, Firefighter of the Year Awards,
WNYVFA Meeting, Nozzle Practice Tournament, training, seminars
and Grand Parade.
Remember! We are people helping people, caring and sharing. As
they give to us, we give in return, through training and education,
preparation and conventions.
Those far-away fire companies with a strange sounds in names soon
become closer and more familiar.
Central New York
Gordy Kotars
Syracuse • NY
For those of us who are tired of shoveling snow, warming up our
cars, scraping ice, stoking the wood stove and putting on the extra
layers, well, too bad.
Punxsutawney Phil, that fat little rodent, popped his head up during
a blizzard on February 2 and said “See you in six more weeks, people!”
And by the looks of it, he was absolutely right.
A few days later as the 2015 FASNY Winter Games were getting
under way, many in our region were dealing with a one- to two-foot
snowfall and weatherman predictions of sub-zero weather coming our
way again.
This leads us into two separate discussions here.
First, there’s the longevity of winter as well as the harshness, which
in our business makes it like living on razor blades every day that goes
by without a structure fire, chimney fire or some type of incident involving heating systems or fireplaces, chimneys and other heating appliances.
Make sure that your department’s fire prevention committee is on
top of putting out reminders in your community via media releases or
The Volunteer Firefighter
www.fasny.com
REGIONALS
flyers that get posted or sent to schools for children to bring home, or
put a message on your department Facebook page or even the sign out
front for the public to use caution and maintain their heating systems,
as there’s a bunch more winter to go up here in Central New York. Stay
safe out there!
The second discussion involving the weather is the authenticity it
gave the FASNY Winter Games this year February 6-8 at Greek Peak
Mountain Resort and, for the last year, at the SUNY Cortland Ice Arena.
Man, if you didn’t dress warm, that wind would just cut right through
you up on the mountain Saturday, which is where most firefighters and
their observing families and fan base were from 8:30 a.m. until about
4:00 p.m.
The games committee people did a great job officiating and keeping
the games moving at a pace that kept participants moving and observers jumping.
As an observer, and one looking through a lens most of the time, I
could not believe the amount of determination, effort, grit and strength
shown on the faces of so many firefighters, male, female, child or adult
during the competitions. I could also easily see the huge amounts of
camaraderie that existed at the games throughout the weekend.
This was very evident after the matches, when groups of firefighters would gather around the back of vehicles in the parking lot, with
plumes of smoke from barbecue grills spiraling up, cooking dogs, and
burgers and bowls of chowder or chili to help warm up the cold and
sometimes exhausted firefighters. So many had huge grins and shared
much laughter as they told their own stories of the competition they
just participated in.
The culmination of the games so fitting out on the ice as team after
team was presented with their awards and then the presentation of
the overall champion, which went to the Farmingville Fire Department from Long Island. The Central New York Firemen’s Association
Sportsmanship Award in honor of the late Owego Fire Department
Capt. Matt Porcari (Line of Duty Death, 2012) was presented in special
honor of its author, the late Mrs. Chrissie Hughes from Oriskany.
Oops, almost forgot, the last award for sportsmanship went to the
Walton Fire Department out of Delaware County. They had a men’s
and an all-woman team in the games and they went out of their way
to cheer on all teams involved in the competition, not just their own.
One last item: All participants in that weekend’s games should shout
out thanks and appreciation to the Cortland County Firemen’s Association for putting on the games, meaning they put the officials and
organizers up on the mountain and in the arena for all of those hours
in freezing (pelting snow at times) conditions. They ran the games superbly, kept them moving and were fair to all. Great job!
The New York Mills Fire Department honored 50-year members
Fred Griffiths and Joe Hammond at their recent installation dinner
held at the Twin Ponds Golf and Country Club. Fred was also presented with the Iron Man Award by the New Hartford Town Supervisor Patrick Tyksinski.
Fred was honored for his dedication and service to his Fire Department and the town of New Hartford. Both men (pictured here with
FASNY Director Brian McQueen at right) also received honorary
sheriff ’s badges from Oneida County Sheriff Rob Macool.
Another observation was the sheer amount of exhaustion shown
after some events, but mostly the tug-o-war, where firefighters put it
all out on the line (or rope, as it were) to earn the bragging rights as
the strongest amongst us all. And for the third of fourth time since
the games came to Greek Peak, those young men from the Killowag
Fire Department once again showed what they were made of and to
everyone’s surprise, they did it without sporting pink Mohawk style
haircuts this year.
One of the biggest impressions overall was the friendships, the
smiles and the laughter that the games brought out in everybody from
the moment they arrived at headquarters and registered with Fran or
Gene Perry in his wacky winter hat to the festivities rendering from
the Central New York Hospitality Room, complete with guitarist/
singer Melissa Kotars, and back out into the field of competition on
the mountain or early Sunday morning in the confines of the SUNY
Cortland Ice Arena.
www.fasny.com
CNYFA President Jeff Martin is happy to announce that the association possibly has two new directors who will assist in getting information to and from their own counties. They are Marvin Mulford from
Otsego County and Herb McDowell from Tioga County. The association also welcomes new member Tom Shirtz from Wayne County. President Martin would also like to thank the many people who
stopped by the Central Hospitality Room at the Winter Games. It was
great to see and interact with so many new and old faces from around
the state. He especially thanks the CNYFA Public Relations Committee and all individuals and departments who contribute financially or
with donations of food or with their talents, such as Melissa Kotars
who was just strumming and jamming away on her guitar. Thank you,
everyone.
The Volunteer Firefighter
45
REGIONALS
Please watch out for any of the many FASNY Legislative Outreach
Programs happening around the state. The Oneida County Volunteer
Firemen’s Association hosted their annual legislative breakfast at the
Deerfield Fire Department with more than 216 attendees.
The Central Regional Update can not end until we make a reminder
and an appeal for all firefighters and readers to please push your departments and fellow firefighters to use prudent care and techniques
in firefighting when it comes to cancer awareness and safe practices.
There is so much focus and attention on the issue of cancer in the fire
service today, one need not to go far to learn about it, and can do so by
simply checking out www.Believe271.com. Thank you!
The Onondaga County Volunteer Firemen’s Association Convention Committee has also been meeting regularly and is starting to gear
up as the time draws near for this June’s combined CNYFA/Northern
Central New York Volunteer Firemen’s Association Annual Convention being held at the Ramada Inn on Buckley Road in Liverpool.
Details with much more information will be found on all the websites and/or Facebook pages for CNYFA, NCNYVFA and OCVFA.
Please try and talk this up at your county meetings. We would really
like to see a good turnout for the races, which are on Saturday, June 13,
at 2:30 p.m. There’s a lot of departments to draw from when you look
at our area, which covers 24 counties from Monroe all the way down
to Delaware.
The combined memorial service will be on Saturday, June 13, at 8:00
a.m. and we are asking that everyone to please urge their departments
to return a necrology list to their county secretary so they can get it to
the convention memorial service committee by May 1. Save the dates
for June 12-13. Hope to see you there!
How about a little challenge amongst some of the counties for the
upcoming FASNY RecruitNY event happening on Saturday and Sunday, April 25 and 26? At the winter quarterly meeting for CNYFA in
Deerfield, Onondaga County President Gordy Kotars challenged
Oneida County President Tom Rothdeiner with a departmental challenge for how many of their county departments could sign up and
participate for RecruitNY 2015.
A case of a yet-to-be-determined adult legal beverage apparently
was the wager between the two. This will be based on a percentage of
participation by each county’s departments. Good luck!
The next meeting of the CNYFA is Saturday, April 18, in Owego,
New York. Please check the association’s website for details on that.
46
Onondaga County would also like to ask that you put Sunday, June
7, on your radar screens for the Second Annual Rich Webster Memorial Scholarship Golf Tournament in honor of one of our finest, Mr.
Richard Webster. The tournament will be held at the Orchard Vali Golf
Course located in South Onondaga, which is near Lafayette. Details
can again be found at their website, www.ocvfa.org. All proceeds from
this tournament go to funding scholarships offered by the OCVFA.
Members of the Broome County Fire Police Association got an upclose look at the Vestal Fire Department’s new Rescue One truck during the group’s January meeting, which also featured presentations by
the regional director for the New York State Division of Homeland
Services and Broome County’s senior fire investigator. The next meeting is slated for May 8 at the Endwell Fire Department.
Submitted by Norm Davis, Broome County Fire Police Association
President
Northern Central
Diana Pfersick
Rush • NY
Wayne Fire is one of many small departments in our rural area of
Northern Central. Early one New Year’s Day, their ambulance had an
EMS call which required transport to a higher-level hospital a distance away. While the ambulance was on first call and not available,
tones chimed for a second call: “14-year-old male, unresponsive, CPR
in progress.” Rescue Capt. Chris Cermak, responded immediately to
scene, which was two miles from his residence. He then requested
the rescue containing the AED. Hammondsport Ambulance was also
summoned.
The AED was used as soon as it arrived with positive results. Over
the next two hours, the AED was used numerous times in the rig and
at the local hospital. Wayne and Hammondsport ambulance personnel as well as the local ALS provider worked side by side with hospital
staff for the duration until loaded into an air unit to be transported
The Volunteer Firefighter
www.fasny.com
REGIONALS
to the heart center at Strong Memorial Hospital. This young man had
a battled with cancer in the past and had received an “all clear.” His
stay at the center lasted for one month, returning home in good spirits
and feeling great with his new pacemaker and defibrillator installed.
With that he had a chance at being a teenager again. Throughout the
year things turned for the worse as cancer found its way once again to
young “Ben.”
On December 27, the Wayne Fire Department and Ambulance, with
help from the community, held a spaghetti dinner and bake sale with
all proceeds going to this family. It was a huge success with all nearby
departments as well as county 911 center, NYS Fire Instructors, fire
commissioners and the community at large there to show their support. (Information provided by Chris Cermak, Wayne Rescue Captain)
As were no representatives from Massena present, so limited aspects
of the convention were explained. We ask that you monitor the NNYFA website for details.
Laurie Hance spoke on the NNYVFA fire prevention and scholarship programs.
Discussion was held concerning new requirements for Firefighter 1
and other training programs from OFPC.
The association will meet for its pre-convention meeting the last
Sunday of April in Massena.
Please remember that dues, memorial names and candidates for
awards programs are due soon.
It was announced that Nicholas Rolley of Tupper Lake will be seeking office in our association this June.
Departments are reminded that if you want parade officials for your
parade this year that you should be contacting Janet Moore, Lance
Willix or myself. Parades are assigned officials on a first come, first
served basis.
The awards committee is seeking nominees for Fireman of the Year
and Meritorious Service awards at our convention. Please contact John
Boyd, chairperson, with your nominations.
Please visit the NNYVFA website for information, forms and committees. This is a useful tool if used.
On a side note, I am sorry to report that Ben lost his battle with
cancer and passed away peacefully this January. This story is a testimonial to the benefit an AED can be. In this case, it allowed Ben time
he would have not had without it.
In other news, Northern Central’s website is back up and running.
Please check it out www.northerncentralvolunteerfiremensassoc.org
Northern New York
The Northern New York Volunteer Firemen’s Association met for
its first meeting of the year at the Lowville Fire Hall. The meeting
also served as a legislative program presentation for FASNY. Thomas
Arsenault of the legislative committee along with FASNY made presentation of the joint legislative program and also reviewed the 2014
program.
Scott McRobbie, chairperson of the site committee, announced that
they will still be looking for hosts for the 2016 convention with the
hope that a tournament-related department will serve as a possible
host. He would like to clear this matter by the April meeting in Massena.
Hopefully we will be coming into the thawing season when you read
this. Please watch for flooding as winter snows will be melting and
causing a new concern for firefighters.
Hudson-Mohawk
Kathie Wood Albany • NY
Jerry Flanders Copenhagen • NY
www.fasny.com
Larry Gerard from Depauville is the new president of Jefferson
County firefighters, replacing Tim Irey. Tim deserved a rest after being president and secretary.
Hopefully we have seen the last of the winter storms. There have
been many fires in our region and thankfully we have all gone home
safe. Let spring bring us nice weather and a new vision for training and
moving forward with the fire service.
The Hudson-Mohawk Volunteer Firefighter’s Association mourns
the loss of two of our past presidents, Mark Sheline and Ernie Iachetti.
Mark was a very active member of our association as well as other fire
service organizations in the Capitol Region and New York State. Ernie
was a 61-year member of the SW Pitts Hose Co. and served many
other associations as well. Many friends paid respects to both for their
years of service to the fire community. Many mourn their loss and
their memories will live on.
The Volunteer Firefighter
47
REGIONALS
A happy ending for a close call before the holidays: It is anyone in
emergency services worst nightmare – hearing an ambulance dispatched to your own address for the most serious of calls, a cardiac
arrest. Bob Davis is a member of our own family, and that was his
experience while participating in a charity football game between local fire departments.
Southern
Ryan Murphy
Patchogue • NY
A few weeks before Christmas, Bob’s wife, Linda, was home with
their children when she went into cardiac arrest. Due to the quick
action of their children, who called 911 immediately, and CPR performed by a neighbor and fellow Fuller Road Fire Department member, Linda’s life was saved and she was home for Christmas.
We go out of our way to ensure that the best possible care is delivered as fast as possible to your family and, in this case, our family. It
is a system-wide response that involves many departments and a great
deal of training and most importantly, teamwork.
In cases like this, resources involved include fire department first
response units, the closest police officer with an AED, at least two ALS
staffed units and an EMS shift commander. None of these units would
get there without the work of dispatchers. Dispatchers like Bob keep
callers calm and get vital information to the responding units and
most importantly give pre-arrival instructions such as CPR to people
on scene. All of which contribute to the high success rates of pre-hospital sudden cardiac death reversals here in Colonie. On a daily basis,
agencies here in Colonie work together to save lives. Most recently,
police officers are all trained to administer and carry Narcan, which
reverses the deadly effects of opium overdoses.
On December 10 at approximately 10:00 a.m., Suffolk County FRES
put out the word that fire and EMS patches were needed to honor the
request of fellow volunteer firefighter, Johnathan Davis of the Barnard
Fire Department in Rochester, who is suffering from an inoperable
brain tumor.
Around the same time as Linda’s cardiac arrest reversal, officer Greg
Jensen (also a volunteer firefighter) was first on scene to a respiratory
arrest and administered Narcan moments before EMS crews got there.
In doing so, the patient began breathing again and survived. Police officers such as Greg are vital in the care provided here in Colonie. We
are truly unique in the working relationship with have with our police
and fire departments, and value it greatly.
All told, 111 patches, 2 shirts, 1 sweatshirt, 2 helmets, 1 hat and a
few other items were sent off to firefighter and honorary EMT Davis
in a package that was sent out from Suffolk County Executive Bellone’s
office.
February 14 was the date of the Mega Bucks Bingo Party. The location of this event was the FASNY Firemen’s Home. This is an annual
Home Day program by the HMVFA at the Firemen’s Home.
We celebrated the end of the winter season with the residents of the
home. The residents enjoy the Mega Bucks Bingo Party and social occasion. They enjoyed the bingo games and the prize money. They enjoy the company of the HMVFA Ladies Auxiliary. They enjoy visiting
with the ladies and discuss world events. We got to hand out the Mega
Bucks Bingo Party prize money. The ladies also enjoy receiving a carnation in celebration of Valentine’s Day.
To say that the response was overwhelming would be an understatement. In under 48 hours, the word spread to more than 100,000 people
by social media and more than 110 different patches were collected
from agencies throughout Suffolk County and beyond.
Many other departments indicated that they were already, or would
be, sending their patch directly to Johnathan. The outpouring of support from the Suffolk County Fire and EMS Service was impressive
and speaks volumes to the true nature of volunteer emergency services
family.
At Rombout Fire Company’s annual memorial service, firefighters
dedicated a remembrance wall to honor their deceased members.
Remember all of us make up FASNY, so support and help your own
association so our voices can be heard and we can make a difference.
The voice of FASNY can help us all when it comes to the new legislative season. Make sure you talk to your legislators so that our voices
will be heard. Let this year be another one that the volunteer fire service is heard. Attend your local legislative outreach programs to learn
what the issues that are being supported by FASNY this year.
48
The Volunteer Firefighter
www.fasny.com
REGIONALS
This remembrance wall was a vision of Commissioner Tag Muller,
who would not see his idea take shape due to his sudden and unexpected passing in January 2013.
Tag’s son, Terry, who was appointed to his father’s position on the
board of fire commissioners, wanted to fulfill his father’s dream of a
member’s memorial.
“Getting this done was a big one for me” Terry commented. “I try to
do my job as commissioner the way he would have wanted me to. He
was always putting the guys first. To him, this isn’t just a fire company:
Rombout is a family.”
Being in the construction business just like his father, Terry approached his father’s friends with the idea. All of Tag’s friends knew of
his vision of a wall and how important it was to Tag to erect a monument to honor Rombout’s deceased members.
They donated their time and materials in memory of their friend Tag
Muller. Putting in time after work and on weekends the wall was built
in time for this year’s memorial service. The wall is on a little plot of
land that the Rombout members pass every time entering Station One.
Under an overcast sky with the members standing at attention in
a cold, stiff January wind, Chaplain Paul Messina read off the passed
member’s names one by one as the present members remembered
their dedication and devotion of duty to the Fishkill community. Terry
Muller reflected: “There are lifelong friendships formed here and having the remembrance wall finally up, gives us a place to honor those
who are no longer with us.”
– Submitted by Kevin Barry
Pictured are members of the Medford Fire Department and several
of their wives, who gathered to recognize and pay tribute to a 6-yearold kindergarten boy for his heroic actions.
On December 5 at 9:35 p.m., Kareem Hashish used his learned fire
prevention safety skills when he alerted his family to the impending
danger of a fire in his home. He was instrumental in evacuating his
family and his neighboring condominium residents from a rapidly developing fire.
Kareem was commended by the Medford Fire Department for his
actions performed prior to firefighters arriving on the scene.
One of the Medford Fire Department chiefs, along with his members, presented Kareem with a plaque and medal. Included in the
presentation were donations collected by all the department station
houses and given to his family and another affected family.
– Submitted by Barbara Greck
THE
SAVE DATE
Golf Tournament Benefiting
National and New York State
Fallen Firefighters Organizations
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Fairways at Halfmoon
Register at www.fasny.com
www.fasny.com
The Volunteer Firefighter
49
New Members
Albany County
Chemung County
Altamont Fire Department
Big Flats Volunteer Fire
Company, Inc.
Thomas Martin Tubbs, Jr.
Delmar Fire Department
Stephanie O’Neil
Cameron Quinlan
Christopher Spino
Stephanie Woreth
Onesquethaw Volunteer Fire
Company, Inc.
Chris Pierce
Ethan Vanpraag
S. W. Pitts Hose Company,
Inc.
Chenango County
Borden Hose Fire Company
Stephen Enright
Paul Goes
Daniel Morine
Jason Strouse
Cole Kinsey
Amanda Leffingwell
Christy Pederson
Mike Pitcher
Allegany County
Brisben Fire Department
Cuba Fire Department
Shannon Appleby
Kody Beil
Nicholas A. Dobmeier
Korby Evans
Thomas Feneran
Ron Homuth
Joshua Horton
Bambi Oronic
Randy Richmond
Dustin Snyder
Jeremy Thompson
Bronx County
Bronx Volunteer Fire Patrol
Co. 4
Barbara N. Flores
Dhiraj I. Mirani
Francisco Ramos
Luis Ramos
Adolfo Rivera
Luis Rivera, Jr.
Abrahan D. Valdez
Rosa Valentin
Broome County
Harpursville Fire
Department
Michael Fargo
Thomas Fargo
Nicole Jaramillo
Nicholas Murrer
Cattaraugus County
South Dayton Volunteer Fire
Department No. 1
Catharine Grillo
Richard Tabak
Mike Wagner
Cayuga County
Locke Fire Department
Alyssa Bieling
Parker Dickenson
Chautauqua County
Portland Fire Department
Justin Hardenburg
50
Andrew K. Chien
Elizabeth A. Fesetch
Nicholas H. Fletcher
Darrell L. Johns
William A. Kaner
Tyler D. Mattison
Christopher M. O’Dell
Tyler A. Pack
Michael H. Simons
Richard Goletz
Greene Fire Department
Brian Day
Jack Najarian
Smyrna Fire Company, Inc.
Sue Miller
Nadine Van Alst
Ryan Wilcox
Cody Farrell
Kenny Gerard
Dianne Powell
Pat Reilly
Jacob Schermerhorn
Lester Shea, IV
Cortland County
Cincinnatus Fire
Department
Larry Lewis
Joseph Roberts
Jessie Smith
Rosie Standish
Cortlandville Fire
Department
Jeffery Beeching
Justine Drollette
Patrick Lacroix
Amy Peck
Alexandra Sheldrick
Clarence Fire Company, Inc.
Samuel Baker
Michael Dennies
Hillery Dyman
Victor Miller
Ryan Ostolski
Cleveland Hill Fire
Department No. 6
Doyle Volunteer Hose
Company No. 2
East Meredith Fire
Department
Taylor James Roe
Dutchess County
Peru Volunteer Fire
Department
Robert Johnson
Brandon Kozlowski
Mary Langworthy
Don Murawski
Rick Nelson
Ken Tarbox, II
Harmon Whipple, III
Delaware County
Ellenburg Depot Volunteer
Fire Department
Gary Fox
Cody McCasland
Ray Quimette
Matt D. Smith
Amanda Atkins
Jon Avmiller
Ryan Lehotski
Michael Lichter
Chris Pirrone
Liam Courtney
Alden Guess
Kristen Lopez
Jason Rooda
Clinton County
Morrisonville Volunteer Fire
Department
Millgrove Volunteer Fire
Department, Inc.
Eric Allen
Helena Baert
Amy Grantham
Carleton A. Grantham
William McLaughlin, Jr.
Kristen Smith
Robert Wilson
Sidney Center Fire
Department
Shannon Hamelin
Clarence Center Volunteer
Fire Company, Inc.
Chase Northrup
Hughsonville Fire Company,
Inc.
Franki Bonanno
Jeffrey Bonanno
Alex Bravo
Justin Frye
Alexander Lorenzini
Zachary Steinhauer
Millbrook Engine Hook &
Ladder Company No. 1
Dominic A. Boscardin
Red Hook Fire Company, Inc.
Collins Center Fire Company
Frank Boice
Anthony Paluch
Shawn Castanik
Nicholas Certo
Amanda Lewandowski
Casandra Price
Jasmine Szafranski
Ellwood Volunteer Fire
Company, No. 1
Daniel Mertz
Forks Volunteer Fire
Company
Kevin Koestler
Mike Musilli
Hutchinson Hose Company
Lake Erie Beach Volunteer
Fire Company, Inc.
Akron Fire Company
William R. Hamm, Jr.
Kyle Wilber
Ryan Apholz
Arthur Haist
Alec Kowalik
Austin Ladd
Jason Ladd
Kenneth Pask
Jeffrey Schoenwetter
Christian Sindo
Armor Volunteer Fire
Company, Inc.
Christopher Armeli
Mariana Zdjelas
Joshua Haberle
Andrew Johnstone
Grace Sturges
North Hudson Volunteer Fire
Department
William L. Plumstead
Westport Hose Company
No. 1
Courtney Brown
Diane Dodd
William Dodd
Jon Meyers
Allanah Nesbitt
Pamella Nicholas
Richard Nicholas
Garrett Reynolds
Aaron Schrauf
Steven Snyder
Edward Delarm
Scott Fairchild
Zachary Labombard
Shawn Monica
Erie County
Ethan Belline
Todd Brooks
Leland Bunting
Evan Cook
Abigail Dingman
Gabe Dingman
Paul Drumm
Keene Valley Hose and
Ladder Company, No. 1
Joseph Dry
Megan Ess
Daniel Khan
Danielle Mazziotti
Austin Medole
Ghent Volunteer Fire
Company No. 1
Stuyvesant Volunteer Fire
Company No. 1
Essex County
Franklin County
Columbia County
Ken Loos, Jr.
Michael Race
Jay Stone
Don Stupplebeen
Joseph Bender
Mitchell Carlson
Todd Pellegrino
Kyle Zawadzki
Harris Hill Volunteer Fire
Company
Kristen Lynn McGilvray
James T. Mulvey
Robert Daniel Streib
Greenport Pumper Company
No. 3
Sloan Volunteer Firemen’s
Benevolent Association, Inc.
A.J. Schueckler
Lake View Volunteer Fire
Association, Inc.
Michael Bamberg
Melanie Barrett
Brian Bresnahan
Anthony DiMaria
Brook Drewiega
Kevin Hannon
Ketih Henry
Michael Krull
Brian Kruszka
Michael Leuer
Neal McGuane
Laura Mulholland
Mark Rost
Katharine Wattie
Mark Webster
The Volunteer Firefighter
Malone Call Firemen, Inc.
Paul Smiths-Gabriels
Volunteer Fire Department,
Inc.
Cody J. Perryman
Saranac Lake Volunteer Fire
Company, Inc.
Travis Farmer
Donald Jones
Douglas Peck
Westville Volunteer
Firemen’s Association
Austin Dishaw
Shawn Hanna
Steven Jock
Fulton County
Oppenheim Volunteer Fire
Company, Inc.
Brianna Miller
Brittany Rice
Ty Stowell
Mitchell Williams
www.fasny.com
New Members
Pleasant Square Volunteer
Fire Department
Edward L. Davis
Greene County
Athens Volunteer Fire
Department
Shane Dinkelacker
Freehold Volunteer Fire
Company, Inc.
James Diperna
Sandy Fuegmann
Hill Hempstead
Justin Hilyer
Michael Kargoe
Joseph Licata
Michael Mauriello
Jason Thompson
Greenville Volunteer Fire
Company
Robert Carl
Hamilton County
Lake Pleasant Volunteer Fire
Department
Daniel Yoder
Long Lake Fire Department
Ethan Bush
Catherine Clark
Austin Pierce
Carl Turner
Wells Volunteer Fire
Company
John R. Abraham
Herkimer County
C. W. Carpenter Hose
Company No. 2
Southern Adirondack Fire
Prevention Team
Bella Arce
Jefferson County
Adams Fire Department
Christopher Bailey
Jayson Kellogg
Justin Ormsby
John Buzyniski
Matthew Hall
Matthew Marino
Allison Tyo
Joshua C. Wangerin
Evan J. Will
Champion Volunteer Fire
Company, Inc.
Willie Craig
Clayton Fire Department,
Inc.
Schuyler Fire Department
George J. Luther
Schuyler Volunteer Fire
Company, Inc.
Mark Conley
R. Dean Desrochers
Richard Finster
Katherine Knapp
Sarah Bauer
Dane Corenier
Jacob Fey
Norman Fey
Ian Klingbail
Nicole Podkowka
Christopher Rinck
Eric Stempien
Evans Mills Fire Department
Caledonia Fire Department
David Burt
Michael Cline
Jeffrey Jones
Gregory Pluhar
Russell Shepherd
Anthony DeMarco
Madison County
Canastota Fire Department
Felts Mills Fire Company
Scott Hurley
Randy Ketchum
Nick Surdo, Jr.
Daniel Ricci
Brandon Williams
Kenneth Williams
Samantha Williams
West Leyden Fire
Department, Inc.
Livingston County
Kourtney Moser
Alex Palmer
Frankfort Hill Volunteer Fire
Department, Inc.
Herbert Click
Collins Olmstead
Rhonda Kilmer
Sackets Harbor Fire
Department
Anthony Nitti
Copenhagen Fire
Department
New Bremen Fire
Department
Tyler Clemons
Zachary Intorcia
Justin Waring
Zachary Waring
Dolgeville Volunteer Fire
Department
Frankfort Center Fire
Department
Benjamin Adler
Nelson Chan
Aleksey Kaplunovskiy
Damiano Mazzone
April Mendoza
Joseph Sunshine
Ben Yezkel Yaakov
Terry Williams
Carthage Fire Department
Lesley Jackson
Justin Olmsted
Michael Barocsi
Christopher Wadsworth
Bensonhurst Volunteer
Ambulance Service
Lewis County
Brownville Fire Department
Raymond H. Arnold
Sean Dunn
E. W. Corey Hose Company
No. 1, Inc.
Kings County
Richard Moore
Zachary Otis
Alec Usyk
Patrick Brophy
Andrew Hornbeek
Mick Martin, V
Morgan McFall
Cory Robertson
Travis Wheatley
Munnsville Volunteer Fire
Department
Theresa Fire Department,
Inc.
Theresa Varin
Vivian Varin
Sheila Woodward
Terrance Allen
Stephen Elkins
Christopher Foresto
Samuel Hochman
Andrew Marchione
Marcos Matos, Jr.
Fire Medic Company No.
1, Inc.
Michaela Asaro
Brendan Bertoli
Peter Burgos
Kan Chou
Mia Crowley
Roselyn Eguizabal
Matthew Epstein
Jack Fishman
Alyson Forgione
Caitlin Forsyth
Jason Goldstein
Anton Livshin
Tanica Lucas
Erin McDonough
Nicole Milonas
Emma Nadel
Sergi Natsvlishvili
Alyssa Penrose
Ruth Puguir
Ashley Raia
Rita Shaver
Jacob Silverman
Morgan Tupper
Heather Turney
Michael Weiner
Floral Park Fire Department,
Reliance Engine Company
No. 2
Matthew Lippolis
Edward Mumay
Garden City Park Fire
Department Engine
Company 3
Mairead Kellegher
Hicksville Fire Department
Independent Engine & Hose
Co. 2
Montgomery County
Jericho Fire Department
Tribes Hill Fire Department
Nassau County
East Meadow Hook and
Ladder Company No. 1
West Carthage Volunteer
Exempt Benevolent
Association
East Rockaway Liberty Hose
Company No. 2
www.fasny.com
Jonathan Mark Ascatigno
Tim Fogarty
William Heuser
Tom Znack
Loren Camidge
Matthew Covillon
Kaycee Gump
Brittany Martinez
Brooke Peebles
Matt Thomas
Patrick Witt
Lyle Covey
Jericho Fire Department
Trident Engine Co No. 3
Charles Ax
Shawn Stevens
George Aragona
Derek Thoman
Brian Whitworth
West Carthage Fire
Department
Farmingdale Fire
Department
Vincent A. Cino
William C. Davidson
Timothy A. Fowler
Robert J. McGee
Chris J. Stafford
Jeff Halstead
Ryan O’Kane
Stephen Scafidi
Jericho Fire Department
Engine and Ladder Co. No. 1
Joseph Corrente
Kamran Khawaja
Jericho Fire Department
Guardian Engine Co. No. 2
Yang Shao
Joseph Velotti
Jericho Fire Department
Rescue Co. No. 4
Kenneth Michael
Christiana Ponce
Vladimir Poshtarenka
Linda Rozof-Guber
Zan Sheikh
Locust Valley Fire
Department Engine
Company No. 2
Timothy DiPietro
Arthur Winckler
Manhasset-Lakeville Fire
Department, Company No. 2
Paul Rapant
Merillon Fire Company No.
2, Garden City Park Fire
Thomas Caruana
Timothy Klett
Donal Olsen, Sr.
Kara Olsen
Merrick Empire Hose
Company No. 3, Inc.
Peter M. Howe
Point Lookout-Lido First Aid
and Rescue Company
Timothy Gola
Sea Cliff Fire Department
Medic Unit No. 1
Brianna Klenkel
Aria Vitale
Syosset Fire Department
EMS Company 6
Gianna D’Agostino
Kyle Dunn
Jamie Friedman
Erica Goldenberg
Ellis Kass
Jeff Zero
Roberta Zero
Syosset Hook & Ladder
Company No. 1
David Cohen
Kris Kaneblei
Terrace Hose and Chemical
Company No. 3
Justin Azzara
Philip Baehrle
David Cohen
Michael Loughlin
Markos Markoulli
Robert Pappas
James Quinn
Ross Skolnick
Valley Stream Volunteer
& Exempt Firemen’s
Benevolent
Jonathan R. Clement
Joseph J. Depaula
Stephen R. Higgins
Thomas F. Keenan
Continued on next page.
The Volunteer Firefighter
51
New Members
Marvin Lara
Anthony G. Locastro
Katherine C. McGeary
Douglas A. Morton
Aland R. Nunez
Jack Palleschi
Muneshwar Sharma
Ruben D. Tabares
Joseph D. Tomaszewski
Niagara County
Nathan Barlow
Jason Klink
Chad Leotta
Omega Morrell
Stephen Scheri
LaFayette Fire Department
Sara Foster
James Herron
Nate Malara
Lynnette Hawley
Lyncourt Volunteer Fire
Department
Miller Hose Company, Inc.
Jacob Joseph Nobile
Barker Fire Department, Inc.
Gregory Dunning
Tanner Niezgoda
Tyler Snyder
North Tonawanda Live Hose
Company No. 4
Matthew Jurado
Rapids Volunteer Fire
Company
Ira Graham
Garry Miller
Craig D. Slater
Brendan Williams
South Wilson Volunteer Fire
Company
Paul DiMarco
Robert Fox
Todd Moltrup
Youngstown Volunteer Fire
Company, Inc.
Doug White
Oneida County
New York Mills Fire
Department
Samantha L. Briggs
Jason P. Cattadoris
Dylan M. Fennell
Adam J. Ganim
Matthew T. Harriman
Gary W. Scales
Willowvale Fire Company,
Inc.
Ethan Harris
Andy Huther
Colin Madia
Jeff Mundrick
Onondaga County
Clay Volunteer Fire
Department
Christopher Jacques
Delphi Falls Fire Company,
Inc.
Jordan Spring
Corey Zickefoose
Elbridge Volunteer Fire
Company
Joshua Manroy
James Mitchell
John Tambron
52
Fairmount Fire Department
Manlius Volunteer Fire
Company, Inc.
Alexis Brown
Nicole Brown
Matthew Clark
Daniel Eisenson
Jenna Harrison
Patrick Hartnett
Chad Karkowski
Natalie A. Mash
Elliot Sanders
Kyle Short
Minoa Fire Department
Colin Garceau
Megan Guilford
Kevin Haines
Kraig Marquart
Tyler Talerico
North Syracuse Volunteer
Firemen’s Association, Inc.
Vincent DeFrank
Ontario County
Richmond Fire Department,
Inc.
Robbie Duvall
Jessica Frost
Lynn Swanger
Guy Ward
Victor Fire Department, Inc.
Harrison Becker
Toni Brindisi
Christopher LaMarco
Orange County
Cronomer Valley Fire
Department
Sharon Brown
David Burtchaell
James Ciccarelli
John Kiefer
Connor Mushlit
Tommy O’Connell
Lauren Patterson
Joseph Storminger
Greenwood Lake Fire
Department
Jon Lowenberg
Joseph Tobin, III
Independence Fire Company
Pat McCormick
William Morrice
Maybrook Engine Company
No. 1
Ed Wilson
Ralph Wright
Hoags Corners Volunteer
Fire Company, Inc.
Max R. McComb
Unadilla Fire Department
Joseph Anthony Crandall
Rutgers Engine Company
No. 1, Inc.
Cynthia Ackerley
Robert C. Ackerley
Jim Carnahan
Jeffrey L. Jones
Jeffrey Jones
Timothy Leonard
Jerry R. Marlette
Rodney Renwick
Kevin W. Rickard
Daniel S. Rinker
Francis Slocum
Jonathan Swift
Schodack Valley Volunteer
Fire Company, Inc.
Jack Cavander
Craig Kurlander, Sr.
Jeffrey Peterson
Neil Ryan, Jr.
Orleans County
Albion Fire Department
Jeremy Babcock
Nathan Bloom
Gregg Marston
Fred Piano
Carlton Fire Company No.
1, Inc.
Justin A. Niederhofer
Oswego County
Cleveland Fire Department
Jessica Graham
Laurie Martin
Michael Martin
Dakota Williams
Oswego Town Volunteer Fire
Department
Ted Beers
Anthony Bivens
Ryan Chartrand
Steve Coffey
Amber Dwyer
Jeff Hammond
Justin Shinpaugh
Bernardo Sobrino
Otsego County
C. H. Graham Hose
Company
Steven Seagren
Cherry Valley Fire
Department
William J. Peterson
Eagle Fire Engine & Hose
Company
Kyle Brannick
Darby Champion
Larry Champion
Liam Champion
Brian DeGroat
Norman Eastwood
Steve Grayle
David Haynes
Barbara Hill
Duane Jacobs
Scot Lueck
Victor Magazian
John Mason, II
John Mason
Chris Oralls
Randy Palada
Rick Peet
Allyson Picozzi
David Robinson
Donna Taylor
James Van Dusen
Putnam County
Brewster Fire Department
Thomas P. Leather
Garrison Volunteer Fire
Company, Inc.
Sandra Bohl
Lee Erickson
Holly Flannery
Bill Hyssung
James Lovegrove
Jennifer Mercurio
Joe Mercurio
Fred Reich
Grace Wilkie
Lake Carmel Fire
Department
Matthew Bidwell
Michael Bradshaw
Christopher Cambell
Caroline Craig
Lynne Gamache
Brett McDonnell
Bryan Pratt
Joseph Sadowski
Jessica Seymour
Candice Telesco
Mahopac Falls Volunteer
Fire Department, Inc.
Andrew J. Goodrow
John Goodrow, Jr.
Mahopac Volunteer Fire
Department
Niko Conde
David DelDuco
Benjamin Fernandes
Craig Machado
Elena Nikisher
Chris Pfaffenberger
Brian Piekutowski
Louis Scagnelli
Richard Westin
Brad Zacotinsky
Amanda Hudson
Patrick O’Keefe
Holly Rosenburger
Rockland County
Haverstraw Fire Department
Kevin Leddy
Nanuet Fire Engine
Company No. 1
Everette Bierker
Matthew Brennan
Chester McGuire
Fred Parent
Jordana Schucker
Spring Valley Hook & Ladder
Company No. 1
Shawn DeCosta
Woodson Etienne
Emerson Martial
Saint Lawrence County
Brier Hill Fire Department
Aaron Stout
Chelsea Teneyck
Chuck Willard
Colton Fire Department
Matt Charpentier
Gary Garlough
Abigail Johnson
Richard Mattimore
Tom Matzell
Chelsea McKinley
Gouverneur Fire Company,
Inc.
Thomas Gore
Shane Gould
Kurttis Hadfield
Dylan Strate
Arthur Strothman
Piercefield Volunteer Fire
Department, Inc.
Elizabeth Boylan
Walter Kennedy
Jeffery Trudeau
Saratoga County
Galway Volunteer Fire
Company, Inc.
Jonah Biss
Steve Hausman
Joseph Laforthun
William Seibert
Matthew Vidusek
Putnam Valley Volunteer
Fire Department
Harmony Corners Volunteer
Fire Department
Katherine Brown
Lynn Gipp
Rensselaer County
Hillcrest Fire Department
Castleton Volunteer
Ambulance Service, Inc.
Norman Bullinger
Jill Hanrahan
The Volunteer Firefighter
Adam Higgins
Nickolus June
Sam McBride
Matt McNiel
www.fasny.com
New Members
George Nikolaidis
Edward Olsted
Schenectady County
Rotterdam Fire District No. 2
Jason J. Komazenski
Schonowe Volunteer Fire
Company
Aysa Antonelli
Brian Chrisey
Margaret Fryling
Erin Hartman
Emily Hilton
Nicholas Mancuso
Matthew March
Gary Miller
Philip Reece
Jack Rivituso
Joshua Vanravensway
West Glenville Volunteeer
Fire Company
Nicholas Lotano
Marc Payzant
Schuyler County
Mecklenburg Volunteer Fire
Company, Inc.
Daniel Lipa
Jeffrey McCord, Jr.
Steuben County
Addison Volunteer Fire
Department
Miranda Smalt
Citizens Hose Company, Inc.
Collin Conklin
Darren Ollis
Jeffrey Thompson
Suffolk County
Smithtown Fire Department
Auxiliary
Bayport Fire Department
Serena Borrero
Nicholas Correggia
Brandon Demulder
Chris Gallo
Andrew Hamrlicek
Joseph Torres
Daniel White
Blue Point Fire Department
Matthew Cibuls
Andrew Cooley
John Mattimore
Raymond Reilly
Bohemia Fire Department
Christopher Gullo
James Hartmann
Michael Magistro
Lucas Mille
Brentwood Fire Department
Central Engine Co. 5
Danny Gonzalez
Edwin Urquilla-Amaya
Brentwood Fire Department
Hook & Ladder Company
No. 1
Brett Baudanza
Juan Gomez
Erdinc Yesiltepe
Brentwood Fire Department
Pines Engine Company
No. 2
Melquin Argueta
Christopher Cannon
Arafat Hernandez
Carolina Mora
Brentwood Fire Department
Quanahassett Engine Co 1
Cesar Calles
Yusuf Cooper
Emerson Siguenza
Brentwood Fire Department
Sagtikos Engine Company
No. 4
Joseph Feliciano
Francis Salvatore
Fredy Torres
Brookhaven Fire Company
No. 1
Brian La Monica, Jr.
Center Moriches Fire
Department
Frederick Cooper
Ronald Hohwald
Michael O’Connor
Isaiah Pendzick
Andrew Schlosberg
North Sea Fire Department,
Inc.
Anthony Duartes
Juan Antonio Duartes
Zandrene Jumpp-Sabaks
Carl McSweeney
Janis Sabaks
John Sanchez
Frank Schulz
Robert Schulz
Daniel McKay
Thomas Rewinski
East Farmingdale Volunteer
Fire Company
Yessica Caceres
David Cartwright
Patrick Chilton
Samantha Chin
David Kantor
Joseph Kolano
Joseph Leis
Michael Leone, II
Kevin Maiale
Indira Paul
Adam Rodriguez
Stephanie Rodriguez
John Salamone
Nicholas Salvato
Nicholas Schmidt
East Marion Fire
Department
Gregory Morris
Elias Zamayar
Halesite Fire Department
Community Ambulance
Company, Inc.
Ninamarie Barbara
Samantha Gentile
Jacqueline Kalomaris
Mark Klahn
William Krause
Justin Liu
Jessica Lo Guirato
Maria Macarle
Steven Mann
Gina Marotto
Bryan Mastrangelo
Maryka Montemagno
Robert Moschinger
John O’Malley
Kelly O’Sullivan
Elisa Profit
William Ruml
Vito Sementilli
Emily Sena
Jennifer Waite
Kenneth Williams
Coram Fire District
James Costanzo
Dave Freda
Tom Hardart
Lorraine Healy
Bill Latham
Karlton Nurnberger
Betty Wood
Huntington Manor Fire
Department
Franklin Campos
John Glidden, IV
Jared Italiano
Daniel Morrissey
Richard Rodriguez
Raymond Sipel, Jr.
Christopher Zonin
Middle Island Fire
Department
Bryan Astrin
Luis Cisneros
Ramona Faria
Frederick Martell
Breanna Nappi
Tina Sanal
Nesconset Volunteer Fire
Department, Inc.
Alexa N. Mannara
Jason O’Brien
Dean Weissmann
Kimberly Zwirz
www.fasny.com
East Brentwood Fire
Department
Nissequogue Fire
Department
Laura Katherine Winkeler
The Volunteer Firefighter
Northport Volunteer Fire
Department
Greg Cantone
John Henry Cross
Farrah Hruska
Michael Mancino
James Romanetti
Rich Warren
Orient Fire Department
John Caffery
Sayville Volunteer Fire
Department
Steven Avellino
Karl Boerner
Danielle Duignan
William Feeley
Joseph Golio
Bryan Henningsen
Raymond Herrmann
Jonathan Litter
Jeffrey Muglia
Kyle Poppe
Tara Ruland
Shelter Island Fire
Department
Warren Baker
Robert Farrar
Stephen Fearing
Nicholas Kestler
Phillip J. Lechmanski
John Phillip McEnroe
John McEnroe
Michael Mundy
Max Pelletier
Zack Starzee
Smithtown Fire Department
Auxiliary
Lois Aprile
Carol Atkinson
Dolores Cunningham
Michelle Douglas
Terry Duffy
Patricia Fisher
Nancy Fitzpatrick
Terri Carroll Grisafi
Claudia Harford
Marilyn Harris
Carol Heffron
Lillian Hurski
Karen Kondenar
Leane Kondenar
Denise Lanzon
Eleanor Lanzon
Gloria Lauber
Charlene Perdie
Julie Phelan
Sigrid Phelan
Ann Rondi
Mabul Ruggiero
Mary Russo
Ann Sancilio
Diane Saraniero
Suzanne Sonnenberg
Joanne Spinella
Digna Tegelvad
Vita Torre
Hilda Walker
Carol Weisman
Smithtown Fire Department,
Inc. Company 6
Richard Ashker
Ricky Billig
Catherine Felicio
Kiefer Kibster
Patricia Logiodice
Charles Purcell
Leonard Todaro, Jr.
Southampton Fire
Department
Phillip Corman
James Duryea, Jr.
Stony Brook Fire
Department
Michael Gallagher
Than Holsberg
Terryville Fire Department
David Latourelli
Joseph Werner, Jr.
United Fire Company No.
1 of the Cutchogue Fire
Department
Bruce Hotchkiss
West Islip Firemen’s
Benevolent Association, Inc.
John J. Fortunato
West Sayville Fire
Department, Inc.
Frank Dempsey
Annah Murphy
Sullivan County
Hortonville Volunteer Fire
Company, Inc.
Isaac Green-Dieboll
Steven M. Tollen
Narrowsburg Fire
Department, Inc.
Gary Amerbach
Alleva Cox
Chad J. Saul
Brendan Staples
Woodbourne Fire Company
No. 1
Kayliegh Hanson
Tioga County
Apalachin Fire Department
Rene Davis
Joe Opper
Joshua Toussaint
Continued on next page.
53
New Members
Campville Volunteer Fire
Department
Terrie Antalek
James Boland
Tyler Boland
Scott Brown
Philip Cowell
Crystal Cross
Bruce Dale
Elisabeth Daniel
Michael Della Pia
Eric Dimock
Lester Dunham
Daniel Dunn
Caroline Durand
Jim Egan
Peter Ellis
Ryker Ford
Suzi Glowa
Nathaniel Gordner
Shaun Hanzalik
Scott Hatfield
Debra Hines
Henry Hines
Lowell Hines
Lori Jackson
Amanda Kline
Medard Korbar
Wendy McBride-Solomon
Brendan McDonough
Frederick Mocniak
Thaddeus Mocniak
Wesley Mozgawa
Melissa Murray
April Oliveira
Sara Palmer
John Payne
Leona Payne
Martie Ritz
Nicola Schreiener
Chad Schreiner
Elizabeth Schreiner
Roy Schreiner
Joel Shelton
Monnie Spencer
Angel Starr
Elianna Starr
Matt Starr
Brian Steele
Michelle Travor
Pat VanDermark
Zachary Vinti
Jameese Vought
Mark Warfle
Michael Weinmann
Louise Whittemore
Warren Whittemore
Bonnie Wilcox
Linda Wilcox
Phill Wilcox
John Jados
Jeffery Lang
April Melendez
Kim Meyer
Patricia Redner
Stanley Redner
Thomas Sakota
Newark Valley Fire
Department
Washington County
Andy Churchman
Dave Churchman
Gabrielle Gurney
Gabriel Barss
Shawn Pratt
South Side Fire Company
Marlena Bartha
Tompkins County
Danby Fire Company
Philip Brown
Joan Grant
Jessica Maleski
Charles Robinson
Jason Rubenstein
Daniel Saracino
Elizabeth Saracino
Rachel Stanton
Groton Fire Department
Loren Coit
Shannon Ronald
Logan Wannall
W. B. Strong Fire Company
Emily Hallock
Cory Kelly
Brandon Stelick
Ulster County
Cragsmoor Volunteer Fire
Company, Inc.
Austin Brown
Robert Clouse
Austin Dimsey
Paige Fox
Zach Reiger
High Falls Fire Department
Kenneth Hassett
Lomontville Fire
Department, Inc.
Chris Newkirk
Jarrett Newkirk
Modena Fire Department
Megan Ashdown
Todd Belsky
John Ireland
Easton Fire Department
Kingsbury Volunteer Hose
Company No. 1, Inc.
Arlene Baker
Betty Brunelle
Michelle Brunelle
Sandi Fox
Kathy Hogan
Eleanor King
Brian Landsman
Ruth McLaughlin
Mary Ann Ringer
Wayne County
Arcadia Hose Company
No. 2
Mathew Frey
Nathan Hanson
Brian Walker
Ossining Washington Hook
& Ladder Company
Rapids Volunteer Fire Junior
Firemen
Daniel Panken
Nicholas Hatswell
Elizabeth Maerten
Aaron Reitmeier
Thornwood Fire Company
No. 1
Lynne Ann Benkwitt
Orleans County
Washington Engine & Hose
Company No. 4
Lyndonville Hose Company
No. 1
Kevin Brennan
Yorktown Heights Engine
Company 1, Inc.
Jeff Slotoroff
Wyoming County
Attica Fire Department, Inc.
Stephan Bove
John Burek
Ronald Stringham
Bennington Volunteer Fire
Company, Inc.
Steven Zymowski
YOUTH AND EXPLORERS
Erie County
Harris Hill Volunteer Fire
Company
Chad Laduke
Tim Vendel
Achilles Blessios
Ares Blessios
Lauren Brice
Braden Colby
Alex Loudenslager
Rachel Prynn
Westchester County
Jefferson County
Walworth Fire Department,
Inc.
Croton-on-Hudson Chemical
Engine Company No. 1
Ryan R. Aleman
Daniel G. Bennett
North White Plains Volunteer
Firemen’s Benevolent
Joshua Castellanos
Ossining Cataract Hose
Company No. 2
Vincent C. Conklin, Jr.
Gina Fernandez
Nicholas Sallucci
Ossining Fire Police &
Emergency Squad
Robert Tyler Reaman
Adams Fire Department
Joseph Lee
Andrew Porter
Nathan Strough
Adams Fire Department
Explorer Post 0137
Kirk Smith
Nassau County
Elizabeth Paige Pickle
Otsego County
Unadilla Fire Department
Laurie Bush
Zachary Keil
Derek Kleeschulte
Jacob Ostrander
Tom Philipson
Charles Wilson
Putnam County
Lake Carmel Explorer Post
2041
Ben Bernard
Steven Goldsmith
Cody Hickok
Cooper Hillyer
Aiden Joyce-Borg
Nicole Kerr
Suffolk County
Sayville Volunteer Fire
Department
Catlin Capozucca
Jillian Dymek
Edward Hernandez
Zachary Lilotta
Chris Monaco
Brian Muller
Christopher Neun
Joshua Oski
Tompkins County
Neptune Hose Company
No. 1, Inc., Dryden Fire
Department
Merrick Hook & Ladder
Company No. 1
Colin Pius Wood
Dillon John Cosnett
Larchmont Fire Department
Niagara County
Westchester County
Michael Joseph Apollo, Jr.
Gratwick Hose Company No.
6, Inc.
Robert Derme, II
April 25 and 26, 2015
2015
54
Sign up at www.recruitny.org
The Volunteer Firefighter
www.fasny.com
Why am I a Volunteer?
I get this question posed to me time and time again. To
set the stage, I must first explain who I am. I am an average
60-year-old man: married, two grown children and two
wonderful grandchildren.
I, like many others, have gone through life’s tribulations
through the years. Do I have regrets? I would be crazy
if I said that I didn’t. Everyone has regrets, everyone is a
Monday-morning quarterback and hindsight is truly 20/20.
I will say this, however, I cannot and will not ever regret
the time and years I have spent being a volunteer.
I must admit, I started late in life. I think I had to mature,
not physically, but mentally and emotionally. I was a young
21-year-old, newly married, beginning a new job in the big
city. Life was good, just as I was taught it was supposed to be.
The only problem was that it all seemed so boring, so
monotonous. Something was missing. There was another
person inside my body that was screaming at me, and one
day I finally listened to it.
I was born on Memorial Day, when Memorial Day was
always on May 30, not just the last Monday of May so that
we all have a three-day holiday. It was my birthday, and the
town’s Memorial Day parade took place every year. I always
loved the parade!
The first thing you saw was a row of men with flags,
dressed neatly and smartly in the crisp dress uniforms
of the local fire department. Following them, were the
rows and rows of the “volunteers,” each dressed as neatly
and smartly as those they followed. I can still remember
the sound of their shoes hitting the pavement in unison,
sometimes shuffling as those out of step attempted to get
back into step.
Behind them came the long stream of red fire trucks,
my favorite part: engines, pumpers, ladder trucks, and the
rescue truck. At times, the drivers would turn on the siren,
briefly, which always sent a chill up my back. It was exciting
to hear that wail.
more, and one day, as I heard the sounds of a fire truck
screaming through the streets on its way to a fire call, I
realized what it was.
I had put in my application to the fire department and
waited patiently for an answer. It finally came with a
notice to report to fire headquarters for an interview with
the fire council, a group of officers and the chiefs of the
department. Why do you want to do it, they asked, why
do you want to be a volunteer? The answer rolled off my
tongue easily, freely.
I want to be a volunteer because I want to give back to
the town I grew up in, love and expect to spend the rest of
my life in. I want to protect this little town that lies under a
bubble in the middle of Long Island. I want to be a part of
the solution.
It was a proud and exciting day when I was lead to the
uniform room and fitted for my dress uniform, received my
boots, gloves, helmet and turnout coat. I felt bigger than
normal, more important, more worthwhile than I had ever
felt before.
The training was tough and the job even tougher. I have
been literally blown out of a house from the second floor.
I have had the cornea of my eye burned from hot embers
falling into it. I have experienced numerous bouts of smoke
inhalation, and I have experienced the pain and suffering of
those people that I was there to help.
Believe me, one does not forget the smell of burning flesh
or the sight of dismembered bodies. On the other hand,
one does not forget the smiles, the cries of joy, the thanks
and admiration you receive when helping others and their
loved ones.
Why do we do it? We do it because we want to. It is in
us. It is not how you do it, or what avenue you take to do
it, you just do it … because. That volunteer in many of us
never leaves, we just find other ways to let it out.
Later in life, I moved back to the small town I had grown
up in, I heard that inner voice and listened to it. I wanted,
and needed, to contribute something of myself. I needed
– S teve Protz (Ret.),
Garden City Fire Department
Can you recall a time that you were touched because you were a part of the volunteer fire service? If you or someone you know has a positive story
to share, such as the one written here, we want to hear from you. Please submit your story of how being in the volunteer fire service has impacted
your life in a positive way and you might see your article published in The Volunteer Firefighter. Please submit your article to fire@abccreativegroup.
com. Don’t forget to tell us who you are and what volunteer fire department you belong to. Please keep your story to approximately 650 words.
www.fasny.com
The Volunteer Firefighter
55
Firemen’s Association
of the State of New York
107 Washington Ave.
Albany, NY 12210
2 Things That Will Absolutely
Get a Firefighter’s Attention:
A Fire and Your Ad
in this MAGAZINE
March/April 2015
vol. 67 issue 5
You can reach more than 45,000 of New
York State’s volunteer emergency service
decision-makers in each and every issue
of The Volunteer Firefighter. Advertise your
product or service to those who know the
field inside and out.
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or call (315) 471-1002
56
2015 FASNY
CONVENTION
Also Inside:
2015 FASNY Winte
r Games Highlights
RecruitNY: April 25
and 26, 2015
The Volunteer Firefighter
www.fasny.com