On Saturday April 21, 2018, the Springfield Fire Department was recognized by the NEW JERSEY STATE F.M.B.A. at the 2018 Valor Awards Banquet located at the Pines Manor, Edison, New Jersey. Close to 600 people attended the annual banquet. It is with great pride, as Chief of the Department, to be able to announce that the Department’s hard work, dedication and service to the community was recognized as they received top honors in several categories that evening.
LOCAL OF THE YEAR (Photo 1)
PRESIDENT, ALTAY VIGILANTE, VICE PRESIDENT KEVIN RUCK, DELEGATE DANIEL ROYLAND, together with members of Springfield FMBA Local #57 have been continuously dedicated to giving back to the town. For the past several years, members have been making donations to cancer organizations, autism support groups and veteran groups through the sale of t-shirts. Local 57 continues to sponsor several local sports teams and school events, provide service and refreshments at multiple town functions such as the street fair and annual holiday tree lighting. Members donate their time to cook at several school picnics throughout the year. Springfield FMBA also purchased and donated 3 AEDs to Springfield Little League. Members also coordinate many fire prevention seminars for students and seniors, along with donating products such as smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to residents in need. All these achievements have been accomplished through this small local consisting of 22 members.
GROUP EFFORT NON-FIRE (Photo 2)
CAPTAIN ERWIN HEINRICH, FIREFIGHTERS STEWART JURCZAK, WALTER HECKEL, KEVIN RUCK, and
ANTONIO DE CAMPOS. On July 28, 2017 the Springfield Fire Department responded for a vehicle crash
with the male driver reported trapped inside the vehicle. Engine 2 and Ladder 1 arrived to find the
driver, semi-conscious, trapped in the vehicle head-on into a tree. The car was wrapped in live power
lines, which were still energized with high voltage electricity. There were also multiple spot fires around
and under the vehicle. At this point, members were sacrificing their own safety to maintain all focus on
the driver, whose condition was worsening. When the vehicle appeared to no longer be energized,
Captain Heinrich made the decision to extricate the victim while nearby wires continued to arc and start
fires. The victim was transported to the hospital in serious condition and has since made a full recovery.
The members of the Department displayed their high level of courage and discipline to initiate the
positive outcome for the trapped driver.
MULTI JURISDICTIONAL AWARD SPRINGFIELD AND WESTFIELD FIRE DEPARTMENT (Photo 3)
BATTALION CHIEF JAMES RYAN, LIEUTENANT BENJAMIN CORBIN, LIEUTENANT MICHAEL DUELKS, FIREFIGHTERS DAVE MAZZA, BRIAN PICCOLA, TOM BOTTINI, DAN GENOVESE (WESTFIELD LOCAL 30). CAPTAIN VICTOR KOSTIN, FIREFIGHTERS SAL COCUZZA, DAN ROYLAND, TIM HYDOCK (SPRINGFIELD LOCAL 57). On the night of August 28, 2017, members of the Westfield and Springfield Fire Departments came together to rescue a trapped occupant at a house fire. The Westfield Fire Department encountered heavy fire conditions throughout the building with a burned-out staircase leading to the second floor. They used a roof ladder to bridge the large opening, and pushed further with an aggressive interior fire attack and search. However, they had to retreat to change air packs. Members of Springfield Engine 2 took over, and made their way to the second floor to access and locate the victim. The victim was removed from the second floor and down the interior ladder with the assistance of Westfield firefighters. Unfortunately, the victim did not survive the rescue attempt. Recognition here is for members coming together to overcome and adapt in the middle of a very high stress situation. What makes this situation unique is these members do not regularly operate together, in some cases these members may have never even met, yet they demonstrated the ability to work together in this unfortunate circumstance.
