Firefighters of the Year Award

 

In firefighting, every moment matters — and on Oct. 13, 2024, then Assistant Chief John Cronk and then Firefighter Eddie See made theirs count with their swift, heroic actions.

East Clinton and Pleasant Valley fire districts were dispatched for a house fire with possible trapped occupants. East Clinton Chief and New York State Police arrived first and confirming the occupants were still inside. Mutual aid Assistant Chief Cronk arrived shortly after, followed by See, both donning their gear as flames intensified.

Cronk, wearing an SCBA, entered the home and located a lifeless three-year-old in an upstairs bedroom. See, without breathing protection, entered alongside him and helped remove the child. Immediately after, See donned Cronk’s SCBA and re-entered the home alone.

On the second floor, See located the unresponsive mother and infant in another bedroom. Firefighters Pat McKeever and Chase Russell, operating with a charged hose line, knocked down a large portion of the fire, allowing See to carry the infant out. Before leaving, See directed McKeever and Russell to shut down the line and remove the mother. Cronk re-entered and assisted them on the stairs.

All three victims were rescued within seven minutes. CPR and advanced life support were immediately initiated.

“The crew risked everything,” explained Commissioner Bill Geerlings. “Their immediate actions undoubtedly saved a life.”

Past Award Recipients

2024	Petros Mestheneas	Freeport Fire Department
2023	Lt. Justin Berry	Riverhead Volunteer Fire Department
2022	Jared Lloyd (Awarded Posthumously)	Spring Valley Fire Department
2021	Mark Miller & John Tighe	Lindenhurst Fire Department
2020	Delphi Falls Fire Department, Manlius Fire Department, Cazenovia Fire Department, Pompey Hill Fire Department
2019	Jason Bernfeld	Melville Fire Department
2018	Peter DiPinto, Sr.	Brookhaven Fire Department
2017	Joseph LaRocco	Smithtown Fire Department
2017	John Hansen	Smithtown Fire Department
2017	Jennifer O’Brien	Smithtown Fire Department
2017	Patrick Diecidue	Smithtown Fire Department
2017	Thomas Kriklava	Smithtown Fire Department
2017	Timothy Duckham	Smithtown Fire Department
2016	Frederick Kopf	Baldwin Fire Department
2015	Jeremy Corsaro	Moyers Corners Fire Department
2015	Ryan Whitmore	Moyers Corners Fire Department
2015	Phil Vogt	Moyers Corners Fire Department
2015	Steve Zaferakis	Moyers Corners Fire Department
2015	Frank Crispin	Moyers Corners Fire Department
2014	Thomas J. Gorman	Bohemia Fire Department
2013	John Curley	Bellmore Fire Department
2012	Andrew Kolesar	West Haverstraw Fire Department
2011	Captain William J. “Billy” Bahr	Mahopac Volunteer Fire Department
2011	Second Assistant Chief Brian J. Lena	Mahopac Volunteer Fire Department
2010	Jeff Hugunine	Verona Fire Department
2010	Aldo Cacciotti	Verona Fire Department
2010	Kevin Oatman	Verona Fire Department
2009	Assistant Chief Timothy R. Ellis	North Syracuse Fire Department
2008	Lieutenant John Ippolito Jr.	Bay Shore Fire Department
2008	Lieutenant Edward Kunz	Bay Shore Fire Department
2007	Lieutenant Al Cinotti	West Islip Fire Department
2006	Richard J. Gimbl	Holbrook Fire Department
2005	James Bucci	Rush Fire Department
2005	Peter Henry	Rush Fire Department
2005	Michael Terzo	Rush Fire Department
2005	Joseph Cirincione	Rush Fire Department
2004	Richard Prudente	Huntington Manor Fire Department
2004	Frederick Steenson Jr.	Huntington Manor Fire Department
2004	John C. Glidden III	Huntington Manor Fire Department
2003	Brian Stevens	Manlius Vol. Fire Company, Inc.
2002	Dedicated to those who died in the Line of Duty 9/11/01
2001	William H. Brown III	Ossining Fire Department
2001	John Simkins	Ossining Fire Department
2001	Donald J. Farrell	Cataract Hose Company #2
2001	Raymond Valles	Ossining Steamer Company #1, Inc.
2000	Mark Sposato	Brewerton Fire Department, Inc.
1999	James S. Fredericks	Mohegan Volunteer Fire Association, Inc.
1998	Larry J. Stumpo	North Patchogue Fire Department
1997	Matthew F. Merecka	Freeport Fire Department
1996	David A. DiDio	Bellport Fire Department
1995	William H. Pyne III	Sayville Hook & Ladder Company #1
1995	Kenneth T. Jones	Sayville Hook & Ladder Company #1
1994	Paul A. MacMurray	Hudson Falls Fire Department
1993	Robert Pettigrew	North Babylon Fire Company
1992	George P. Motchkavitz	Great Neck Alert Engine Company
1991	Charles R. Zigrosser	Bayport Fire Department
1990	Robert Hitchcock	Blenheim Fire Department
1989	Robert A. Frank	Central Islip Fire Department
1988	Paul Edward Vinciguerra	Lindenhurst Chemical & Salvage Company #2
1987	John L. Hyzer	Bainbridge Fire Department
1986	Michael F. Reid	Merrick Hook & Ladder Company #1
1985	Thomas A. Phillips	S. W.  Johnson Steam Fire Engine Company
1984	Frederic Furminger	Depew Fire Department
1983	Richard W. Gehrt	Smithtown Fire Department
1982	David L. Curley	Delhi Fire Department
1981	David A. Sedlock	Massena Fire Department
1980	George Jerry Dean	Gates — Chili Fire Department
1979	Randall R. Rhoades	East Syracuse Fire Department
1978	George Cannella	Islip Terrace Fire Department
1977	Alton L. Lewis	Montour Falls Fire Department
1976	Willard John Hoyt	South Schodak Fire Company
1975	John Richard Green	Merrick Fire Department
1974	John A. Keogh	Mattituck Fire Department
1973	Harry Charkow	Mattituck Fire Department
1972	Hobart A. Abbey	Forest View — Gang Mills Fire Deptartment
1971	Barry Simmons	Rhinebeck Fire Department
1970	Charles L. Ossont	Westmoreland Fire Department
1969	Thomas Nameth	Slater Chemical Fire Company
1968	Jake Parris	Patchogue Fire Department
1967	Gordon O. Schmidt	St. Paul Boulevard Fire Association
1966	Gary Elbert	Flower Hill Hose Company #1
1965	Stephen R. Bucki	Harris Hill Fire Company
1964	Donald H. Price	Nyack Fire Department
1963	James H. Jackson	Andover Fire Department
1962	Russell Fleischman	Washington Engine Company #2
1961	James Gilliam	Lewiston Fire Company #2
1960	Donald Brown	West Carthage Fire Department
1959	Dominic C. Zappia	Massena Fire Department
1958	John Patrick Cronin III	Tallman Fire Company #1
1957	William M. Belinson	Eggertsville Hose Company
1956	Edward Dixon	Great Neck Vigilants
1955	J. Robert Kramer	Lewis Tompkins Hose Company #1