fire services

The Pavilion Fire Department accepted a donation on Friday made possible through the generosity of the Batavia Middle School’s dress-down days. 

Rebecca Matteson, the mother of a patient treated by the department in May 2021, made the donation to the department. 

Jeffrey DeMare was involved in an automobile accident involving one box truck and two semis at the curve on Route 63 and Peoria Road. Thanks to quick actions taken by a good Samaritan and a State trooper from Wyoming County, who both applied a tourniquet and with the Pavilion Fire Department providing Basic Life Support, Jeffrey was able to make a full recovery after multiple surgeries. 

Ken Weaver, president of the Pavilion Fire Department, accepted the check. Jeffrey is standing to the right of Rebecca. Also in the photo are firefighters who responded to the call.

Submitted photos and information.

For 2023, the Firefighter of the Year in the Stafford Volunteer Fire Department was a collective award, going to the Top 10 responders (11 members, counting a tie) for the year.

The Firefighters of the Year are Brian Breemes, Randal Henning, Tim Eckdahl, Chris Penkszyk, Mark Dougherty, Ashley Swartzenberg, Jason Smith, Ken Collins, Brian Pocock, Don Hall, and Ben Pocock.

The firematic officers installed for 2024 are:

• Timothy Eckdahl, chief
• Brian Pocock, 1st assistant chief
• Brian Breemes, 2nd assistant chief
• Kari Breemes, 3rd assistant chief
• Jason Smith, 4th assistant chief
• Randal Henning, rescue squad captain
• Chad Rambach, rescue squad lietuenent 
• Donald Hall, fire police captain
• Ben Fox, fire police lieutenant
• Brian Pocock, master mechanic
• Brian Breemes and Matt Hendershott, training officers
• Julie Bobo and Ashley Swartzenberg, chief's secretary

The administrative officers: 

• James Call, president
• Kari Breemes, vice president
• Bonnie Logsdon, secretary
• Stephanie Call, treasurer
• Trustees: Stanley Gere, Jason Smith, Ashley Swartzenberg, Chad Rambach, Stephanie Call
• Auditors: Ben Fox and Kenneth Collins.

The dinner was held on Saturday at the Batavia Country Club.

Photos by Howard Owens

Members of the Pavilion Volunteer Fire Department honored their own on Saturday at the fire hall with an awards and installation dinner.

Ken Weaver was named Firefighter of the Year. Dave Clor received the EMS Person of the Year award. Paul Daugherty received the President's Award.

Tom Garlock, Jason Everett, Chris Holley, and Don Roblee Jr. received a special EMS award for their effort to deliver a baby during a snowstorm in January. The baby was named Cinderella.

Matt Jacobs received the Lifetime Member Award.

Jerry Fitzsimmons was honored as a 50-year member for 2022, and Don Roblee and Ken Weaver were honored for 50 years in 2023.

The 2024 officers:

• Jason Everett, chief
• Bryen Murrock, 1st asst. chief
• Codey O'Neill, 2nd asst. chief
• Chris Holley, captain
• Kelly Murrock, captain
• Jason True, lieutenant
• Dewey Murrock, lieutenant
• Ken Weaver, fire police captain
• Dave Clor, safety officer

It's been four years since the East Pembroke Fire Department came together for an awards and officer installation dinner, so there were a few awards to hand out on Saturday night.

Chief Don Newton recognized years of service and training hours for 2021, 2022, and 2023, as well as handing out, along with Tim Yaeger, the Service Awards and Firefighter of the Year for each year.

The Service Award for 2021 went to the Genesee County Health Department for support and assistance during the pandemic.

Jennifer Groff was named Firefighter of the Year for 2021.

For 2022, the Service Award went to the Genesee County Office of Emergency Management for all of its assistance around Christmas when Winter Storm Elliott hit.

Dave Martin, who couldn't attend the dinner, was named Firefighter of the Year for 2022.

Willie Welch received a special award for his 40 years of dedicated service to the fire department and the county. Paul Fenton also has 40 years of service but wasn't available on Saturday night.

The Service Award for 2023 went to Adam Pearce. 

The Firefighter of the Year for 2023 is James Gayton, who was recognized for his dedication to the department, whether it is fixing things that are broken, cleaning what needs to be cleaned, or barbecuing at fundraisers.

Newton said, "He puts his time in and gives us the best of everything he can."

The 2024 firematic officers:

• Don Newton, Jr., chief
• Charles Chatley, deputy chief
• Andrew Martin, assistant chief
• Travis Dobrowsky, EMS chief
• James Gayton, firematic captain
• Jennifer Groff, EMS captain
• Ken Marble, exterior fire captain
• Kyle Rupp, firematic lieutenant
• Stephen Smelski, EMS lieutenant
• Richard Groff, fire police captain

Administrative Officers:

• Donald Newton, Sr., president
• Ken Marble, vice president
• Julie Waldron, secretary and parade marshall
• Riley Martin, sergeant of arms
• Adam Pearce, assistant parade marshall
• Pastor Bloom, chaplin

Board of Directors: Andrew Martin, Donald Newton, Sr., Charles Chatley, Ken Marble, Stephen Smelski, Julie Waldron, Dale Lewter, Patrick Gallaway.

District Representatives:

• James Gayton, chairman
• Patrick Reeves, sergeant of arms
• Kristi Humphrey, treasurer,
• Kevin Gill, assistant chairman
• MaryAnn Chatley, secretary
• Richard Groff, commissioner

This past Saturday evening, Fire Chief Jeff Fluker of Bethany Fire Department led as the master of ceremonies at Bethany’s annual awards and installation of officer’s banquet. 

More than 80 people attended including VIP guests from other area fire departments, including Alexander, Attica, Elba, Pavilion, Stafford, and Wyoming.

Dignitaries from Steve Hawley’s office, Jayleen Carney and Senator George Borrello’s office, and Genesee County Legislator Gregg Torrey attended to present years of service pin awards and acknowledgments.  

Dan Coffey presented the installation of officers for 2024.  Jeff Fluker, and Will Thurley announced the Firefighter of the Year award to Jeff Wolak. 

Vicki Wolak announced the EMS Awards.  They were given to Brian Britton, Carl Hyde Jr., Will Thurley, and Jeff Wolak.  Also, Wolak recognized three new EMTs -- Glenn Adams, Britney Johnson, and Peggy Johnson.

The Chief's Award was given to Carl Hyde Jr.  

The memorial service, led by Pastor Walter Wenhold,  honored William Shae and all deceased members of the department.

The department responded to 151 total calls in 2023. 

The top responders were:

• Peg Johnson, 16 calls
• Don Frank, 16 calls
• Vicki Wolak, 26 calls
• Gail Smith, 30 calls
• Glenn Adams, 36 calls
• Lyle Boundy, 47 calls
• Carl Hyde Jr., 48 calls
• Will Thurley, 50 calls
• Brian Britton, 51 calls
• Jeff Wolak, 59 calls

If anyone is interested in joining or learn more, contact Chief Jeff Fluker at 585-300-8153 or come to the fire hall any Monday night at 7 p.m.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

There are volunteers throughout the county who remain on their department's active rolls after 50, 60, or even 70 years of service. But they aren't typically responding to calls any more.

At 88 years old, after 70 years of service to the Corfu Volunteer Fire Department, Jim Mallory still attends Monday evening training sessions, turns out to emergency calls, sometimes drives a rescue truck, and remains a member of the fire district's board of commissioners.

Mallory is still there, setting an example and sharing his experience and knowledge with younger members. 

Chief Greg Lang said that's impressive.

"He brings in all the young people," Lang said. "He's educational. He's got a brain like you wouldn't believe. He educates us. He helps keep members in the fire department because they would like to come up to his standards, you know what I'm saying? The younger guys love it.  I've learned so much from him throughout the years, it's not even funny." 

Mallory was recognized on Saturday evening for his service at the Corfu Village Hall during the department's annual installation dinner.

Mallory started to hear the siren call of the fire service as a child living near the fire hall.  The alarms would sound, and he would go to the hall to find out where the trucks were going and watch them leave.  

"I was fascinated by fire trucks," Mallory told The Batavian.

As soon as he turned 18, he signed up for service.

Since then, he's served not just as a firefighter, but on several truck committees, as fire chief, and as a commissioner.

"There was always another truck to buy," Mallory noted, and that helped keep his interest up.

And it was fun.

"I enjoyed the classes we went through," Mallory said. "I liked learning about firefighting, and I liked helping people out. If there was a call and I was able to be there, I'd be there to help out. I just enjoy helping people."

Mallory was also a successful local businessman, opening a gas station at the corner of Main and Alleghany before taking on co-owners to open a convenience store that the location, which is now Crosby's. He operated the business for 45 years.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley read a proclamation honoring Mallory.

"It is a privilege to recognize and pay tribute to individuals who have displayed a deep commitment to enhancing their communities and improving the state of New York," Hawley said before noting his 70 years of service to the Corfu Hook and Ladder Company Number One.

"James has become a model firefighter and a positive example for his community," Hawley said.

Also honored on Saturday was Kathy Skeet, as Firefighter of the Year. Skeet responded to 109 calls in 2023.

"On some of the calls, she is the chief there," Lang said. "She is the EMT. She is the fire police there. She's the only one there sometimes."

He also noted she puts in a lot of volunteer hours for department events.

"She's got 34 years of service," Lang said. "She's in charge of the Sunshine Committee. And, I can say, she's the best mother-in-law."

The department received 199 calls for service in 2023, and members provided 773 manhours of response time. There were eight fire calls, 130 EMS calls, four hazardous conditions, 15 good intention calls, and 18 false alarms.

Emergency Management Coordinator Tim Yaeger administered the oath of office to the 2024 slate of officers, which are: Chiefs Greg Lang, Dean Eck, and Dan Smith; Captains Tyler Lang and Jim Hale; EMS Captain Dillon Hale; Fire Police Captain MattLenhard; Safety Officer Justin Rodland; and Lieutenants Megan Stiles, Jacob Stiles, and Krista Hale.

 South Byron Volunteer Fire Company’s 48th annual banquet was one of celebration and remembrance.

The fire company, which is 104 years old, began the evening with a welcome and introduction of guests by emcee Fred Klycek.

After a prayer by the Rev. Harold Coller, a buffet dinner was served by Fred Hamilton and his crew.

Town of Stafford Justice of the Peace Bob Mattice swore in officers of the fire company, auxiliary, and fire police.

New firematic officers are Chief Brian Hickey, Deputy Chief Scott Blossom, Assistant Chief Jim McKenzie, 1st Lieutenant Christopher Hilbert, 2nd Lieutenant Al Secash, and engineer Matthew Dougherty.

Administrative officers are President Reggie Macdonald, Vice President Robert Wilson, Treasurer Alfred Klycek, Secretary Elizabeth Penkszyk, membership chair, and Sunshine Chair Theresa Hammer.

Members of the auxiliary board are President Michelle Dougherty, Vice President Beth Wilson, Treasurer Rozanne Klycek, Secretary Melody Stone, and party chair and sunshine Chair Theresa Hammer.

Fire police officers are Captain Theresa Hammer, Sergeant Reggie Macdonald, and Corporal Fred Klycek.

In a moving presentation, Elizabeth Penkszyk paid tribute to the one member lost during 2023, her grandfather Allan “Sneakers” Blossom. Blossom was a 47-year member of the fire company, who was dedicated to its mission.

“He’s the reason why I joined the fire company, making me a third-generation member,” Penkszyk said.

Her father, Scott Blossom, is a second-generation family member of the department.

In concluding the memorial ceremony, Penkszyk and her grandmother Mariellen Blossom lit a candle in honor of “Sneakers,” while observing a moment of silence.

The fire company gained one new member last year, Aaron Lathrop, who is carrying on his grandfather’s legacy, as Penkszyk did, she said.

The next presentation was the Auxiliary’s gift to the fire company.

“We wanted to make sure our firefighters are safe and well-seen when they respond to a call,” said Michelle Dougherty, Auxiliary president.

She was assisted by Melody Stone, Auxiliary secretary, in presenting Reggie Macdonald with one of the lighted safety vests they purchased for the department.

Macdonald next announced donations and tips from the bar would be donated this year to Mercy Flight and to the South Byron Rescue Squad to help pay for their new ambulance. No one was present from Mercy Flight, but Brad Nickerson accepted the check for the Rescue Squad.

Scott Blossom gave a firematic report, saying they had responded to 60-some calls last year. Chief Brian Hickey was named top responder in those calls

The department logged 535 training hours, with Matt Dougherty accumulating the most.

Fireman of the Year and Member of the Year were awarded to the same individual – Fred Klycek. When Bob Wilson called him to the podium to accept the Fireman of the Year Award, he said he didn’t expect that, and he was speechless.

“I had no idea,” he said. “But it takes a whole crew, and they all deserve this award.”

When he was called back and named Member of the Year, Klycek said he was really flabbergasted.

Wilson said Klycek does a tremendous amount of work for the fire company, and has for years.

“Much of what he does wouldn’t get done if he didn’t do it,” Wilson said.

The evening concluded with the awarding of door prizes and a benediction by the Rev. Coller.

Fram Oil Filters used to run a commercial with the tagline, "You can pay me now, or you can pay me later."

It may be the case that taxpayers in the East Pembroke Fire District decided earlier this week to the "pay me later" path for the future of keeping their homes and families safe in emergencies.

Voters turned down a proposal on Tuesday to fund a low-cost retirement program to help the fire department retain volunteers.

The measure was defeated 117 yes to 152 no.

Genesee County Emergency Management Coordinator Tim Yaeger said he is disappointed in the outcome of the vote. He sees on a daily basis what is going on with volunteer fire companies in the county -- declining membership, fewer people turning out to calls, fewer people in training classes.

"The volunteer service is in bad shape, and it's getting worse," Yaeger told The Batavian.

In a social media post, members of the East Pembroke department shared their disappointment.

"The East Pembroke Fire Department has always put the community first, helping out whenever anyone is in need. On your worst day, the volunteers stop their lives to help you for hours on end with no compensation," reads a post on the department's social media page. Individual members shared their disappointment in comments on the post.

Yaeger said he understands the hurt and frustration members are feeling but believes they will regroup and come to realize the vote was not a rejection of their service to the community.

"Once the emotion subsides, they'll see that is not the case," Yaeger said.

Volunteer firefighters do the job for free, putting in hundreds of hours annually, some more than a thousand, not just responding to calls but also going to training, attending meetings, maintaining equipment, and supporting fundraisers.  It's an essential job with no pay, Yaeger noted. There is no pension. No health benefits. If you serve long enough, you might get a nice plaque at the end of your career.

"There are no benefits to being a volunteer firefighter other than it's a noble cause," Yaeger said. "And the calls are hard and getting harder. Most of them are EMS calls, and you're dealing with people who may not want you there. It might be drug overdose, and you're not welcome into the home, so it's disheartening (that this didn't pass)."

The program voters were asked to approve is known as LOSAP, or Length of Service Awards Program. It is run by an insurance company and would allow qualifying volunteers to earn $20 a month in retirement benefits for each year of service, with firefighters becoming fully vested after five years of qualifying service.

The cost to taxpayers in each of the first five years of the program -- when costs are at their highest because of a "buyback," allowing existing volunteers to qualify for five years of service -- would have been a maximum of 44 cents per $1,000 of assessed value on parcels in the district. After the first five years, the cost would have dropped by as much as two-thirds.

Issues that arose in the run-up to the vote were that residents had a hard time finding out what their actual individual cost to support the program would be. When The Batavian tried to find out, it took a couple of days to get a firm answer.  The first time  The Batavian asked the attorney for the district, Bradley Pinsky, what the rate would be, he said he was driving and didn't know. He suggested the reporter calculate the rate herself. Later he called back and said it was 96 cents per $1,000 of assessed value.  That didn't sound right because it was way out of line with guesstimate numbers previously provided to The Batavian. The Batavian contacted District President James Gayton, who contacted Pinsky immediately.  Pinsky admitted to an error in the calculation and said the correct figure was a maximum of 44 cents.

"East Pembroke is struggling for people to respond to calls," Yaeger said. "It’s a frustrating feeling not having enough people to do the job, and then you try to do something to attract and retain people, and it gets rejected by the people you’re trying to protect," Yaeger said.

Yaeger acknowledged that the rejection of the measure by voters may have come down to messaging.  There was a lack of clear information on a tax rate, but there was also misrepresentation and disinformation spread by two opponents of the measure. That left voters confused, so they just voted no.

East Pembroke volunteers think they know who those people who sent out mailers with incorrect information are and have pointed fingers at former colleagues.

Yeager said in looking at some of the recommendations from consultants on how to shore up emergency response times -- which, for Yaeger, response times is the bottom line issue at stake -- he and the area chiefs anticipated that some long-time volunteers would resist some of the initiatives, including LOSAP, because some people always hate any kind of change.

"We didn't have it before. It's not needed now," is that attitude that sometimes pops up, which in putting forward these proposals, consultants warned could happen.

It's not just a declining membership role that is making the volunteer firefighting service a challenge, Yaeger said. Equipment costs are skyrocketing. Turnout gear is more expensive. The equipment used in emergencies is more expensive.

A fire truck that cost $500,000 just a couple of years ago now costs $800,000, and the wait to get the order filled can take up to two years.

The countywide goal for response times is 10 minutes or  less, which can be difficult in a small rural county at any time, Yaeger said.

"My concern is mostly with getting a trained, qualified person to that home or business or accident when somebody calls 9-1-1," Yaeger said. "Our goal is to be able to respond to anybody's house within 10 minutes. That's a high target to shoot for in a rural county, but if you asked anybody how fast they want us there when their loved one is having a heart attack or other emergency, they say, 'minutes.'  I'm more concerned with service delivery that we're unable to provide right now adequately."

While maintaining an adequate volunteer force is important, Yaeger's office is also looking at other recommendations from a consultant that include stationing full-time, paid firefighters in fire halls throughout the county on day shifts and supplementing their responses with volunteers as well as strategically placing ambulances outside of Batavia.

For Yaeger, keeping response times low is a matter of saving lives, but for property owners, there is also a financial cost to increased response times, which can go up when there are too few volunteers to respond to calls.

Insurance rates are based on a rating of fire services available to a particular parcel of property.  The Insurance Service Organization scores response times based on 9-1-1 operations, water supply, hydrant capacity, drive time, fire apparatus and equipment, staffing and several other factors.

A shortage of volunteers can affect an ISO score, which means higher insurance costs for property owners.

A decline in volunteer membership will also hasten the day that the county must implement a plan that supplements volunteers with paid, career firefighters. 

Yaeger doesn't yet foresee replacing volunteer departments with full-time paid departments, such as currently provides fire protection to the City of Batavia, and the semi-paid response teams, if they come, will be shared across departmental jurisdictions; for example, East Pembroke Fire District won't be shouldering the entire cost alone for such a service.

But when it is harder for a department to retain volunteers, such as the potential case now with East Pembroke's failure to approve LOSAP, it becomes much more likely that property owners in that district are looking at much higher tax bills to cover the costs of paid firefighters.

LOSAP probably would not have brought in new firefighters, Yaeger said, but it would have rewarded those volunteers who have given so much to the community -- not just fire protection but donations through fundraisers to local charities -- and that could have been an important retention tool to forestall higher fire protection costs down the road.

"When you consider the cost of equipment and maintenance and upkeep on a fire station in order to maintain response times, it's going to cost money," Yaeger said. "What that total expense is, I don't know, but if we can't count on volunteers, we can only look to paid firefighters or a pay-per-call model because we're having trouble retaining volunteers, and it's getting worse every day."

Press Release:

On May 15 a Public Employee Safety & Health Bureau (PESH) Firefighter Seminar: Myth vs. Fact was held at Genesee Community College.

Jennifer Puerner of the NYS Public Employee Safety & Health Bureau spoke about training requirements, standards, mandates, record & retention, PPE requirements, bailout system requirements and other rules and regulations. The purpose of the seminar was to differentiate between myths vs. facts.

Fifty-six participants from 17 agencies participated in this seminar.

ALABAMA

• Anthony Mudrzynski
• Henry Mudrzynski
• Michelle Patnode
• Gary L. Patnode
• Rick Brunea

BARRE

• Jesse Babcock
• Douglas Bentley
• Gerald Bentley
• Gary Rowley

CITY OF BATAVIA

• Robert Fix
• Zechariah Gowanlock
• Daniel Herberger
• Dan Huggins

TOWN OF BATAVIA

• Brian Bentley
• Paul Dibble
• Clayton Gorski
• Robert Hunt

BERGEN

• Kevin Bruton Sr.
• Paul Cummings
• Don Cunningham
• Joseph MacConnell
• Robert MacConnell
• James Pascarella

BETHANY

• Deb Donnelly
• Jeff Fluker
• Carl Hyde
• Gail Smith

BYRON

• Paul Carr
• Brandon Crossett
• John Durand
• Robert Mruczek
• Cory Russell
• Edward Sharp
• Robert Wasinger

CORFU

• Dean Eck
• Gregory S. Lang
• Matt Lenhard
• Justin Rodland
• Daniel Smith

EAST PEMBROKE

• Charles Chatley
• Andrew Martin

ELBA

• Nick Esten
• Michael Heale
• Nathan Tabor

GC OEM

• Tyler Lang
• Gary P. Patnode
• Tim Yaeger
• INDIAN FALLS
• LuAnne Mileham

LEROY

• Fay Fuerch
• Craig Johnson
• MURRAY JOINT FIRE DISTRICT
• Jeff Elsenheimer

PEMBROKE

• Kevin Ross
• STAFFORD
• Brian Breemes
• Kari Breemes
• Tim Eckdahl

UNKOWN

• Jacob Schultz

Joining the fire/EMS service not only provides you the opportunity to make an invaluable contribution to your community but allows you to develop (free) professional skills, and form lifelong friendships and positive relationships. Visit your local fire department to find out more about volunteer opportunities in your community.

Strong winds, no fire hydrants, and the ongoing shortage of volunteer firefighters made today's barn fire in Darien a bit more challenging to fight, said Tim Yaeger, emergency management coordinator for Genesee County.

The fire was reported at about 8:30 a.m. at 2044 Sumner Road, Darien, a 9.4-acre residential parcel owned by David Keller that contained multiple barns and other out structures, all mostly built in the 1950s and 1960s.

Yaeger said an investigation found that the source of the fire was a fire started by the homeowners to the southwest of the barn that caught fire.  Yaeger said the wind changed direction, and embers flew into the barn causing combustible items in the barn to catch fire.

The barn was in disrepair, Yaeger said, and damage to the west side of the barn exposed the interior to the flying embers.

The fire spread and expanded quickly because of the wind, Yaeger said.

There were no injuries, either to residents or firefighters, Yaeger said.  There were no livestock or domestic animals involved in the fire.

Darien Fire was initially dispatched to the fire (follow the link for more photos).

Multiple tankers for surrounding departments, including Corfu, East Pembroke, and Alexander, were dispatched.  The tankers were necessary, Yaeger said, because that part of Darien does not have public water, and there are no fire hydrants in the area.

The need for tankers increases the need for volunteer firefighters, and those are in short supply at the start of a weekday workday, so getting enough manpower to the scene today was an issue, Yaeger said.

Darien Fire, in particular, has been dealing recently with a lack of volunteers.

The lack of volunteers, he said, again illustrates the crisis situation for local fire companies.

"It's still a real concern of mine," Yaeger said. "I applaud the City of Batavia Fire Department for being a real partner with us.  We've got to do something to increase the number of volunteers."

He said a lot of volunteers are aging out, and many who are showing up have been volunteers for 30, 40, or even 50 years, and they do what they can.

"They're still proud of their service to their communities, but we need a new message to bring out younger volunteers to join their ranks," Yaeger said.

Still, even with the challenges, the fire departments on scene were able to have half of a secondary structure that caught fire, as well as the rest of the structures on the property, including the house.

"The house wasn't damaged at all," Yaeger said.

Press Release:

April proved to be a busy month at the Genesee County Fire Training Center, with over 100 students completing classes.

20 students completed 79 hours of instruction in the Basic Exterior Fire Operation (BEFO) course. This entry-level program prepares students to respond to emergencies as exterior firefighters as they received instruction in fire extinguishers, building construction, forcible entry, ladder deployment, incident command, drafting operations and hazardous materials operations levels. Students were trained in ropes and knots as well as first aid/CPR. Participants who completed the BEFO course on April 20 were:

ALABAMA

• Mark Smith

ALBION

• Madison M. Meyers

TOWN OF BATAVIA

• Jonathan P. Parker

BERGEN

• Ashton W. Gavenda
• Olivia M. N. Best
• Tyler G. Holland

BETHANY

• Jakob J. Howland
• Jason A. Howland

BYRON

• Michael A. Alexander

EAST PEMBROKE

• Molly A. Chatley
• Ajay R. King
• Jonah A. Martin
• Joseph Gibson
• Lily E. Martin

ELBA

• Colton B. Walczak
• Holden L. Brinkman

INDIAN FALLS

• Maxwell D. Olsen

LEROY

• Riann M. Ledford

SCOTTSVILLE

• Chase J. Kress
• Harold M. Schlicker

Fire Sprinkler Systems for the Fire Service, a six-hour course held on two consecutive Mondays in April at the Genesee County Fire Training Center, provided students with an overview of fire sprinkler systems and the roles and responsibilities of the fire department when responding to buildings having systems in service. Fifty emergency response personnel completed this course on April 10:

ALEXANDER

• Thomas M. Green

CITY OF BATAVIA 

• Mark S. Holley

TOWN OF BATAVIA

• Scott T. Maloy
• Paul G. Barrett
• Brian D. Bentley
• James W. Bouton
• Thomas G. Cunningham
• Paul R. Dibble
• Gary D. Diegelman
• Dwayne J. Fonda Jr.
• Clayton A. Gorski
• Robert J. Hunt
• Daniel P. Jacques
• Christopher L. Jager
• Stephen A. Kowalcyk
• Thomas E. Marlowe
• Jonathan P. Parker
• Taylor J. Rivenburgh
• Michael J. Rottenbeck
• Ian A. SanFratello
• Tyler J. Stewart
• James J. Ward

BERGEN

• Scott R. Mayne
• Colin W. Willis

BYRON

• Michael A. Alexander
• Chase A. Cone
• Zachary C. Johnson
• Cory J. Russell
• Jacob M. Schultz

COUNTY OF ORLEANS

• Peter D. Hendrickson Jr.

EAST PEMBROKE 

• James R. Gayton
• Donald E. Newton Jr.

ELBA

• Jayden T. Allport
• Nathan J. Tabor
• Bradley R. Chaddock
• Michael R. Davis
• Nicholas J. Esten
• Garrett Heale
• Michael G. Heale
• Mike J. Schad Jr.

COUNTY OF GENESEE

• Robert H. Tripp

LEROY

• Scott A. Newman

MURRAY JOINT FIRE DISTRICT

• Jeffrey R. Elsenheimer Jr.
• Nathaniel C. Smith
• Colton J. Tuttle

RIDGE ROAD FIRE DISTRICT

• Kevin P. Dann

SOUTH BYRON

• Nicole M. Boldt
• Vitorrio J. Muoio
• Jeremie J. Rassel
• Katrina Rassel

38 emergency response personnel now have a better understanding of fire alarm systems after completing the 6-hour Fire Alarm Systems for the Fire Service course held at the Genesee County Fire Training Center on April 17 and 24. The course reviewed the technology of alarm systems, from smoke alarms to fully addressable systems which control features of buildings. Students were instructed in the responsibilities of fire department personnel responding to buildings with alarm systems. Participants in this course included:

ALEXANDER

• Thomas M. Green

CITY OF BATAVIA

• Mark S. Holley

TOWN OF BATAVIA

• Scott T. Maloy
• Brian D. Bentley
• James W. Bouton
• Paul R. Dibble
• Gary D. Diegelman
• Dwayne J. Fonda Jr.
• Clayton A. Gorski
• Robert J. Hunt
• Daniel P. Jacques
• Stephen A. Kowalcyk
• Jonathan P. Parker
• Taylor J. Rivenburgh
• Michael J. Rottenbeck
• Ian A. SanFratello
• Tyler J. Stewart
• James J. Ward

BERGEN

• Joe E. MacConnell
• Scott R. Mayne

BYRON

• Michael A. Alexander
• Zachary C. Johnson
• Cory J. Russell
• Jacob M. Schultz

EAST PEMBROKE

• James R. Gayton
• Donald E. Newton Jr.

ELBA

• Nathan J. Tabor
• Jennifer A. Cardinali
• Bradley R. Chaddock
• Nicholas J. Esten
• Garrett Heale
• Michael G. Heale
• Timothy J. Hoffarth
• Mike J. Schad Jr.

COUNTY OF GENESEE

• Robert H. Tripp

MURRAY JOINT FIRE DISTRICT

• Nathaniel C. Smith

TOWN OF MURRAY

• Colton J. Tuttle

RIDGE ROAD FIRE DISTRICT

• Kevin P. Dann

Emergency Response personnel regularly participate in training programs to maintain, learn or build the skills and knowledge to perform their job proficiently – protecting the lives and property of the citizens of the community they serve. 

Joining the fire/EMS service not only provides you the opportunity to make an invaluable contribution to your community but allows you to develop (free) professional skills, and form lifelong friendships and positive relationships. Visit your local fire department to find out more about volunteer opportunities in your community.

Press release:

Nine responders from around the Genesee region participated in the nine-hour Officer Development:  Planning and Emergency Response course, held from March 1 through March 22.

The course provided current and potential fire officers with a basic knowledge of building construction and commonly found fire protection features.  The course also covered how to conduct a pre-incident plan survey, how to determine what elements to include in a pre-incident survey, and how to develop and manage pre-incident plans.  Company officers’ responsibilities as they relate to the post-incident analysis process were also reviewed in the program.

Firefighters completing the course included: 

TOWN of BATAVIA

• Paul R. Dibble
• Robert J. Hunt

BOWANSVILLE

• James S. Ward

CORFU

• John T. McCarthy

HENRIETTA

• Scott E. Routly            

LE ROY

• Brie L. Rogers

OAKFIELD

• Annette J. Johnson

PAVILION

• Hunter M. Schiske

STAFFORD

• Jason M. Smith

Press release:

Nineteen students successfully completed the nine-hour Fire Police course, which concluded on March 25 at the Genesee County Fire Training Center.  Presented by the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control in conjunction with the Genesee County Office of Emergency Management Services, this program was instructed by Sgt. Dan Coffey, whose focus was to teach the fire police the skills to enable them to perform their duties more effectively.  Course lessons included defining and interpreting terms, oath of office, relation to regular police officers, general duties, maintaining safe conditions at an emergency, traffic direction and control, pre-planning and various laws of interest to the fire service. 

Completing the course were:

ALABAMA

• Joshua V. Mullen

BERGEN

• Edward D. Shortt

BETHANY

• Carl L. Hyde, Jr.
• Terry R. Smart

BROCKPORT

• Stephen C. Delong

BYRON

• Michael A. Alexander

CORFU

• Justin S. Rodland

INDIAN FALLS

• LuAnne Mileham
• Maxwell D. Olsen

PAVILION

• Matt Jacobus
• Douglas W. Logsdon
• Donald A. Roblee, Jr.
• Kenneth l. Weaver
• Douglas P. Wright
• Nick J. Wright

SOUTH BYRON

• Mathew T. Dougherty
• Theresa E. Hammer
• Katrina Rassel

STAFFORD

• Todd Mogenhan

The Town of Batavia Fire's banquet Saturday at Terry Hills was more than awards and installation of officers; it was also a celebration of the department's 75th anniversary.

Chief Christopher Strathearn, being sworn in above, began his second term as chief and, in his annual report, said that the department responded to 409 calls in 2022 with 3,309 member responses to those calls for a total of 2,402 manhours by volunteers out on calls.

The department currently has 48 active members.

The 2023 officers are:

• Chris Strathearn, chief
• Robert Hunt, deputy chief
• Paul Dibble, first assistant
• Joshua Boyle, second assistant
• Bryan Mosciki, captain
• Lieutenant, Clayton Gorski
• Paul Barrett, safety officer
• Scott Garlock, president
• Tom Cunningham, vice president, Steve Coburn, secretary
• Don Koziol, treasurer
• Directors: Tim Yaeger, Dan Jacques, Paul Bareet, Gary Diegelman, and William Allen.

Dwayne Fonda Jr., flanked by Strathearn and Garlock, was named Firefighter of the Year.

Tom Garlock, who joined the department 10 years ago, received the president's award.  His father, Scott Garlock, presented the award and talked about the night he and his wife first met; the first hour they met.  They were in the GCC parking lot, and a fire truck went by on its way to a garage fire. Garlock told Lynn, "Let's go," and they followed the truck to the fire. Garlock wasn't even a volunteer yet.

"I think she knew what she was in for," he said.

Both of their sons joined the department, and it seemed like destiny.

"My President's Award this year goes to that little boy who, in first grade, his teacher came up to me and said, Mr. Garlock, your son seems to know an awful lot about fire, the fire department, and fire trucks," Garlock said. "I said, 'how so.' She said, 'Whenever I read stories, and there's a fire truck in the story, your son always corrects me and says, 'no that's an engine,' or 'that's a ladder truck.'"

Tyler Stewart went out on 205 calls, making him the department's top responder for 2022.

Past chief Frank Riccobono was recognized for his 40 years of service to the department.

Dan Coffey became a line officer in 2005.  He served as chief from 2017 to 2021. He wasn't able to attend last year's dinner so his service was recognized on Saturday night.

Town of Batavia Fire volunteers.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Press release:

The Leadership and Supervision course is one of five modules required to earn New York State Fire Officer 1 certification.

The 15-hour Leadership and Supervision module provides current and potential fire officers with the fundamental knowledge of the duties, responsibilities, and leadership required to be successful as a fire officer. This course covers the basic responsibilities of the fire officer as they relate to human resource management and common administrative functions.

New York State Fire Instructor Chuck Dodson presented the course to 13 county responders at the Genesee County Fire Training Center. The course concluded on Jan. 4, 2023. Congratulations to the following responders for the successful completion of the course:

Town of Batavia

• Dwayne J. Fonda, Jr.
• Robert J. Hunt

Bergen

• Paul J. Cummings
• Donald S. Cunningham

Byron

• Brandon L. Crossett
• Zachary C. Johnson
• Edward L. Sharp

Corfu

• John T. Mc Carthy

East Pembroke

• Andrew D. Martin

Oakfield

• Annette J. Johnson     

South Byron

• Vitorrio J. Muoio
• Jeremie J. Rassel

Stafford

• Jason M. Smith  

Winter Storm Elliott blew into the Town of Alabama again on Saturday night, this time in the form of memories and accolades for first responders during the Alabama Volunteer Fire Department's annual installation and awards banquet. 

Alabama Fire sheltered 40 people during the storm, among them the district's own president, Wendy Allen-Thompson, who stopped at the fire hall after she couldn't make it home in the storm.  She helped organize the storm response at the shelter. She was impressed by the response of department members as well as the stranded travelers she met during the storm.

"It's a memory of my Christmas and my birthday that I will never forget as long as I live," Allen-Thompson said. "I'm so happy I had the privilege of being a part of it."

Joe Bradt, manager of the Alabama Hotel, which also sheltered travelers during the storm, presented a check to the department for $2,500 -- the amount of money donated by the travelers who rode out the storm at the Hotel.

"What you guys did, I mean, we were there, and we were open, and we fed the people, but you guys got them there," Bradt said."That meant more to us than anything else."

The department received 369 dispatches in 2022, said Chief Gary Patnode. There were only two house fires.  Winter Storm Elliott was by far the biggest event of the year for the small, all-volunteer fire department.

It was a storm that was hard emotionally on firefighters, who, by instinct and training, rush to help people.  Alabama's members felt overwhelmed at times, as the storm raged and whiteout conditions prevailed, throughout the northwest portion of Genesee County, the chief said.

"When we get the call, and you know that there are 150 open 9-1-1 calls for vehicles that need to be cleared, and you can't see your hand in front of your face, you get overwhelmed with that helplessness feeling," Patnode said. "It's just because we're all Type-A personalities. We want to help people, and when you can't physically see to go out where it's safe, you feel helpless."

But Alabama's volunteers were ready and willing to give a rescue a try every chance they got, Allen-Thompson said. 

"I can't even begin to describe the heroism of these guys,"  Allen-Thompson said.  "You couldn't see anything. You couldn't drive. We were getting phone calls from stranded motorists. We had a bunch of them here that were stranded. People were calling 9-1-1, and they weren't getting help as fast as they wished they could, for obvious reasons, and so they just started looking up the number for the fire hall, and they were calling us. Rob (Crossen) would take the call, then another call, and then another caller. And he'd look at me, and I'd look to him, and I think we were all just getting pretty scared that people were gonna literally perish out there in their cars. So it was quite an experience, to say the least. We had people outside working, all these guys were out there in the cold, turning red, beet red, working on trying to help people, and they go out and bring a couple people back."

Crossen was tireless in his efforts, Allen-Thompson said, rescuing seven people, driving his truck with the driver's door open, one foot on the running board, peaking through space between the open door and the windshield to help improve the visibility as he drove.

He and the other volunteers brought back all kinds of people -- people from China, from Canada, from Russia, and other foreign lands. 

"We were a melting pot, which is unusual for this area for us," Allen-Thompson said. "I really enjoyed that a lot. I learned a lot. The one guy specifically who made the best rice I've probably ever eaten."

There was one man who was particularly impressed by Crossen.

"Rob kept going and going, and I still remember because it surprised me when a man said, 'you know about Rob Crossen? and I said of course,' but that really got my attention," Allen-Thompson said. "'Yeah, I think I do.' He said, 'Wendy, Rob told me he is 77 years old.' I was like, I couldn't believe it, and he said, 'Yes, Rob told me several times he is 77, and he was driving to save us.'"

Crossen's efforts during the storm are one reason he was named Firefighter of the Year.

Photos by Howard Owens.  Top photo, Todd Thompson and Ryan Thompson present Rob Crossen with the Firefighter of the Year Award.

Jerry and Karen Johnson, along with their three children, were special guests of the department for the dinner. The family sheltered 20 stranded travelers during the storm.

Karen said events started for them around 4:30 p.m. on Friday when a State Trooper knocked on their door.  His vehicle had been stuck in front of his house for five hours and he only just realized there was a home at his location.

"He goes, 'we got several strange motorists out here.' I said, 'Well, we have a heated shop if they need somewhere to stay, please bring them in.' And he was like, 'well, we're not at that point yet.'"

About an hour and a half later, he said he needed to start bringing stranded motorists to the Johnson's shop.

"One of them was literally at the end of our driveway for five and a half hours, and we didn't even know," Karen said. "We couldn't see him, couldn't hear him."

By the end of Friday night, there were 22 people in the shop plus two state troopers.

"We're like, 'what are you gonna feed these people?' Karen said. "We'll do the best we can, you know. Unfortunately, that night they had a dinner of macaroni and cheese and frozen pizza."

Like other shelter locations, the travelers came from many parts of the world.

The Johnson's children helped entertain the children who came to the shop.

"There was a little girl who was seven years old," Karen said. "She and her family, there were six of them, they were on their way to Hawaii. She got to go in the house most of the time. She played games. My children kept her occupied.  When it came time to go, she looked sorry.  She looked at her dad, and she goes, 'This was better than going to Hawaii.'"

There was a bit of a Christmas miracle in the Johnson household during the event, Karen revealed.

"For the first time, my kids pulled together for three days," she said. "No arguing."

For The Batavian's complete coverage of Winter Storm Elliott, click here.

Gary Patnode and Wendy Allen-Thompson receive a $2,500 check from Joe Bradt, general manager of the Alabama Hotel.

See also: Alabama has its own Christmas story to tell, and stranded travelers aren't 'home alone'

The Indian Falls Volunteer Fire Department was recognized with the Service Award, presented by Chief Gary Patnode. The award was in recognition of the support on mutual aid calls provided by Dave Olsen, LuAnn Mileham, Chief Ed Mileham, and Matt Delre (not pictured) as members of the Indian Falls department.

"Alabama Fire, like many other agencies, struggles to answer 9-1-1 calls during the day," Patnode said. "For many years these individuals have played a vital role in Alabama Fire being able to respond and answer your calls while providing the necessary patient care until the ambulance arrives."

See also: County's smallest department kept travelers fed, warm, and safe during Winter Storm Elliott

Terry Thompson presented the EMS awards to Mark Smith and Brianna Smith.

Brianna Smith received the "Rising Star" award from Wendy Allen-Thompson.

Sydney Eick was honored for 50 years of service to the department, which included a proclamation from Assemblyman Steve Hawley, and for responding to the most calls in 2022. 

Assemblyman Steve Hawley administered the oath of office to the elected and appointed officers of the Alabama Volunteer Fire Department.

Elected:

• President, Wendy Allen-Thompson
• Vice president, Joseph Uhrinek
• Chief Gary P. Patnode
• Treasurer Tony Mudrzynski
• Secretary, Leah Thompson
• Board of Directors: Richard Brunea, Henry Mudrzunski, Gary L. Patnode, Allison Thompson, Ryan Thompson
• Bell Jar Secretary, Clayton Fry
• Hall Steward, Terry Thompson

Appointed: 

• Deputy Chief, Sid Eick
• 1st Assistant Chief, Terry Thompson
• 2nd Assistant Chief, Ryan Thompson
• Captain, Todd Thompson
• EMS/Fire Captain, Richard Brunea
• EMS Captain, Brianna Smith
• EMS Lieutenant, Mark Smith
• Fire Police Captain, Henry Mudrzynski

Henry Mudrzynski gave a talk on the history of the department, which included showing off the bylaws from 1950.

Here's a video produced the Town of Alabama Highway Department about the storm.

Press release:

Genesee County Emergency Management Services is pleased to announce the deployment of a MedLite Transport Bed for use by the Town of Bethany Fire Department. This equipment was obtained through the procurement of Homeland Security grant funding, is the property of Genesee County and is being deployed to the Bethany Fire Department for use at the Genesee County Park and Forest.

The State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) and the State Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program (SLETPP) are the two-core homeland security grant programs in New York State. Every county in the State, along with the City of New York, receives funding under these programs.

“The MedLite Transport Bed was deployed with Bethany Fire Department because they are the first responders to the County Park. The equipment fits their UTV and allows Bethany and Mercy Flight to more efficiently make extractions of injured individuals in the rough terrain of the County Park,” said Gregg Torrey, Genesee County District 6 Legislator.

The MedLite Transport Bed is a medical rescue skid unit for Utility Task Vehicles that has the ability to transport one patient on a long board or stokes basket and one attendant in a seat. The equipment also has the ability to be fully removed from the vehicle in the field. A video of the MedLite Transport System can be seen here.

Paul Osborn, Deputy Highway Superintendent, spoke to the use of the equipment at the Genesee County Park and Forest, “The use of it in a UTV will allow for access into areas of the park that aren’t accessible by a standard vehicle, and ultimately provide more safety for the guests of the park.”

Submitted photo: From left to right, Tim Yaeger (Genesee County Emergency Management Services), John Szmkowiak (Bethany Fire Department), Gregg Torrey (Genesee County Legislator) Paul Osborn (Genesee County Highway), and Jeff Fluker (Bethany Fire Department).

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R, C, I-Batavia) today informed local fire departments about grant money being offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA has $90 million to award prior to the end of the year. The application period for these awards will begin between January 6 and 9 and will continue for 6 weeks, subject to change. For more information, contact the Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program at 866-274-0960 or firegrants@fema.dhs.gov.

“This is an opportunity for those who tirelessly protect our communities to receive a significant amount of grant money,” Hawley said. “Our emergency employees are vital to our communities. I am proud of their hard work to keep us all safe and secure. Their valiant efforts to maintain safety in my district and throughout New York state should not go unnoticed.”

Volunteer and career firefighters from Genesee County are being deployed to Erie County to assist with emergency management as a result of heavy snowfall in the area.

Tim Yaeger, emergency management coordinator for Genesee County, announced Saturday night that the following departments have been approved for deployment starting Sunday morning at 6 a.m. for a 12-hour shift.

• City of Batavia Fire
• Town of Batavia Fire
• Oakfield Fire
• East Pembroke Fire
• Corfu Fire
• Genesee County Emergency Management

Participating personnel are instructed to assemble by 5:15 a.m. at the Corfu Fire Department, 116 East Main St., Corfu, for deployment to the Erie County Training & Operation Center, 3359 Broadway, Cheektowaga.