ANDREW KOLESAR OF WEST HAVERSTRAW NAMED FASNY FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR

Andrew Kolesar, a volunteer firefighter from West Haverstraw, New York, was recognized as Firefighter of the Year by the Firemen’s Association of the State of N.Y. (FASNY), at its 140^th Annual Convention at the Holiday Inn in Liverpool, NY.

Kolesar was recommended for this honor by W. Haverstraw Fire Chief George Zayas after his quick thinking and heroic actions saved the life of another firefighter during a residential fire.

The evening of January 14, 2011, Rockland County Deputy Fire Coordinator (and West Haverstraw FD member) John Kryger noticed heavy smoke rolling across Route 202 near the Haverstraw/W. Haverstraw border. As he turned toward the source of the smoke, a two-and-a-half-story wood-frame house, he saw an orange glow coming from the rear of the home and notified the County Fire Dispatch Center. George Zayas, Chief of the West Haverstraw Fire Department, arrived on the scene and immediately began to coordinate extinguishment and search and rescue efforts among the responding fire trucks and personnel.

A neighbor advised Zayas that there was a person sleeping and possibly trapped in the building. Second Assistant Chief Robert Lagrow was assigned to handle extinguishing efforts and Captain Ken Patterson of Volunteer Hose Co. 2, West Haverstraw, was among the first to search for the victim. Patterson and volunteer firefighter George Wargo III from S.W. Johnson Steam Fire Engine Co. entered the residence, determined to ensure that all victims were removed safely.

As Patterson continued his search, he realized his air was running low. Through years of training, Patterson knew he had to leave the building immediately. As he turned toward what he thought was the exit, he realized that conditions had worsened and he could only see a few inches in front of his face. Soon, his air tank depleted and his face mask collapsed. He ripped off the mask and managed to yell “MAYDAY, MAYDAY” into his fire radio, which has only one meaning in the world of firefighting: FIREFIGHTER DOWN AND NEEDS HELP. Among all of the radio transmissions, the reports from firefighters on the scene, etc., this message was crystal clear.

When the MAYDAY was transmitted, ex-chief Andrew Kolesar was also searching the home. Since he couldn’t see into the room due to the thick smoke, he scanned the room with his Thermal Imaging Camera in hopes of picking up the body heat of the downed firefighter. As with many times in the past, Kolesar’s training paid off – as he scanned the room, the image of Captain Patterson lit up on the screen in the corner and Kolesar crawled to him. Seconds later, Patterson became unconscious.

Kolesar got behind Patterson and pulled his downed captain out of the room and down the stairs. He was met by two firefighters, who grabbed their captain’s limp body and dragged him outside. Patterson was placed on oxygen and transported to Nyack Hospital and Westchester Medical Center, where he was treated for extreme carbon monoxide levels and eventually released for recovery at home.

Without the quick thinking and heroic lifesaving actions of volunteer firefighter Andrew Kolesar, this outcome could have been much different. Kolesar’s actions on January 14, 2011, were in the finest tradition of the fire service. It’s for that service that he was recognized today as FASNY’s Firefighter of the Year.

Earlier this year, U.S. Rep. Nan Hayworth honored Kolesar with a Congressional Commendation Award and he was named Firefighter of the Year by the Hudson Valley Volunteer Firemen’s Association, among other accolades for the rescue. Kolesar is a firefighter with the New York City Fire Department, assigned to an engine company in Spanish Harlem.

Andrew and his wife, Diane, have two children.