Thirty-eight year veteran Jamesport firefighter Howard Waldman has been named 2013 Firefighter of the Year in recognition of his two life-saving rescues last year.
Walman, an ex-chief of the department, was honored at the Jamesport Fire District’s annual installation and awards ceremony at Vineyard Caterers in Aquebogue April 12.
Waldman saved the life of an elderly woman last March. He was making an Easter flower delivery and found an 84-year-old woman who’d been on the floor of her Jamesport home for two days. In October, he witnessed an SUV become submerged in the L.I. Sound off Iron Pier, trapping its driver inside. He pulled a small boat out to the SUV and pulled the driver out of a partially open window.
The following length-of-service awards were given during the ceremony:
Joel Lazarus, Bruce Roehrig and Gary Troyan were recognized for 20 years of service. Larry Kaiser was recognized for 25 years of service and Lee Anthony, John J. Apicello, and Robert Diem were recognized for 40 years of Service.
The probationary Firefighter of the Year award was presented to Daniel Doroski for his outstanding service throughout 2013.
Ex-chief Harold “Duffy” Griffiths III was presented with an Ex-Chiefs Award for his six years of service to the department as chief engineer.
Awards were also presented to the top 10 most active firefighters measured in terms of points. The eighth top responder in the department was 94-year-old veteran member of the department, Lewis Tomaszewski.
The department’s top 10 responders in 2013, with points:
Ryan Higgins 388 points
Gustav Hegner 310 points
Joseph A. Szot 235 points
Gary Faucon 223 points
James Fetten 210 points
Thomas Brady 207 points
Stevie Czelatka, Jr. 204 points
Lewis Tomaszewski 194 points
Dan Doroski 189 points
Stanley Zaweski 175 points
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