Firefighters of the Year Award
2025 Recipient
Charles Karen
Carle Place Hook, Ladder & Hose Co. No. 1
On Oct. 29, 2025, at approximately 9 a.m., Albertson Hook & Ladder, Engine and Hose Co. No. 1 responded to a reported deck fire at 47 Pinetree Lane in Roslyn Heights. The fire quickly extended into the residence, resulting in a Signal 10 and mutual aid response, including Carle Place Hook, Ladder & Hose Co. No. 1.
Heavy smoke and fire conditions indicated significant involvement in the attic over the garage. Approximately 20 minutes into the incident, Assistant Chief William Geddish and firefighter Charles Karen were assigned to roof operations for vertical ventilation. Geddish brought more than 23 years of experience. Karen had more than a year on the job.
While sounding the roof, Geddish confirmed active fire venting below. As he stepped over the ridge, the roof catastrophically failed, sending him into the burning attic. He became partially trapped and was exposed to extreme heat and fire conditions.
From above, Karen immediately recognized the collapse. Without hesitation and without a charged line, he moved to the opening, pulled Geddish free, and transmitted a Mayday. He then remained with him, stabilizing and assisting until additional firefighters arrived.
Karen assisted in removing damaged gear, packaging Geddish into a Stokes basket, and lowering him to EMS.
Geddish spent three weeks in the burn unit at Weill Cornell Medicine. Karen’s rapid and decisive actions under extreme conditions directly resulted in saving the life of a fellow firefighter.
2026 Firefighter of the Year Sponsored by:
Past Award Recipients
| 2025 | Assistant Chief John Cronk & Firefighter Eddie See | Pleasant Valley Fire District |
| 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 |