rescue

Byron Fire Department held it’s 2024 recognition and installation of officers Saturday evening at the fire hall.  More than 100 people attended the event to honor volunteers who have served in the department. 

In the 2023 year of review presented by Captain Brandon Crossett, there were 226 total calls, 168 of which were EMS calls. John Durand had 196 Calls, Bob Mruczek 167, Edward Sharp 137, Brandon Crossett 126.

A moment of silence was given to Sgt. Thomas A. Sanfratello who passed away on March 10 in the line of duty.  A 50/50 raffle was raised for the family of Sgt. Sanfratello.  The winner chose to give their winning proceeds towards the total raised, which was $230.

In 2023 some significant mentions included the town board and community used funds to purchase a new town park and Byron rescue ambulance.

The Ladies Auxiliary presented awards that totaled 185 service years, and member of the year was Morgan Leaton.

Award highlights:

2023 Firefighter of the Year - Michael Alexander

Acknowledgement of Chiefs Award – Cory Russell

Most Training hours in Genesee County - Michael Alexander, 201

Training Award - Brandon Crossett 132 hrs

EMS Award - Debra Buck-Leaton EMT of the Year

Dedication of Service Award - Fire Chief Bob Mruczek

Recognitions:

Ken McKendrick Jr, 45 years of service

David Barringer, 50 years of service

Jim Hutchinson, 55 years of service

Other awards were given to, Pete Lochner, Steve Lochner, Joe Wells, Joshua Woika, Tammy Wells, Lori Mruczek, Morgan Leaton and Julia Wasinger.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

Two people were rescued today in the Tonawanda Creek after their canoe overturned and became jammed against a log, which they managed to grab onto until help arrived.

East Pembroke Fire, Town of Batavia Fire, and Gary Patnode, head of the county's rope rescue team, responded.

Volunteer firefighters were able to get ropes to John R. Young, 24, of Basom, and Kaleigh Kasteli, 20, of Beaver Falls, Pa., along with life vests -- which they put over their own life vests -- and pull them safely to shore.

Both Young and Kasteli were examined by medics with Mercy EMS and released from care at the scene.

State Police also assisted at the scene.

(Initial Post) 

Two East Pembroke volunteer firefighters risked their lives Thursday night to rescue a 17-year-old boy from East Seneca who fell from a cliff face at Indian Falls.

The youth landed on a rock ledge 10 feet above the water's surface and was stuck and hurting.

With the Tonawanda River swollen with springtime runoff the water was deep and moving fast.

Don Newton, East Pembroke's chief, and Stephen Smelski, an assistant chief, and both members of the department's water rescue team, acted quickly to reach the teen.

"We were fighting the water the whole way to just even get to him," Smelski said. "The undertow in that area is tremendous. We had to fight just to get to the area where we could get to him and talk with him."

When Newton and Smelski got close to the boy they could see his legs were shaking from exposure to the cold water.

"We didn't know how much longer he could hold on," Smelski said.

Ideally, the rescue should have been a four-man operation, but Newton and Smelski decided there was no time to wait for additional rescuers to enter the water.

"Don made decision to swim to him," Smelski added. "He had one path to him. One chance to make it. He pushed off. I pushed off with him. He was able to swim to the rock ledge to get to the patient and I stayed back in case he lost it or if the patient were to come out of his arms, then I could catch him and bring him back."

Newton told the boy the he would need to make his own way from the 10-foot high ledge he was on down to a second ledge, and from there, slide down into Newton's arms and relax.

"I told him that with the swiftness of the water, if he struggled with me, we would both be dead," Newton said. "At that point, I've got to have all the control of him and my line tender has got to have control of me."

Both Newton and Smelski praised the work of the rope team, who helped keep the two rescuers safe and then safely pulled the teen to safety.

In all, more than 60 emergency responders, including other volunteers, assisted in the rescue of Matthew J. Kwiatkowski, of Pinewood Drive, East Senaca.

It was a major operation, said Bill Schutt, a coordinator with Emergency Management, because the high water and swift current of the Tonawanda this time of year.

Kwiatkowski suffered as yet undetermined injuries and was flown by Mercy Flight to ECMC.

He was at the Falls with friends Brandon T. Briley, 18, of Center Road, West Seneca, William D. Fowler, 18, of Pheasant Lane, Cheektowaga, and Adam Hawco, 17, of Center Road, West Seneca.

The four other youths were able to climb to safety after the accident.

Charges may be pending against one or more of the individuals.

Schutt said the youth's adventure tied up a lot of the county's resources for about two hours and put other people's lives at risk.

"It's extremely dangerous," Schutt said. "It looks like it's fun and it's fun when everything goes well. When something goes bad then obviously it's not fun, but it puts everybody at risk."

Responding to the scene were the Sheriff's Office, Emergency Management, Indian Falls, Pembroke, East Pembroke and Alabama fire departments. Alden's rescue team and Mercy EMS also assisted at the scene.