by David Flint
Sports was the theme at the Stephentown Volunteer Fire Department Installation Dinner last Saturday evening. People came dressed in sweat shirts with their favorite team names and logos. There was much good natured bantering between Red Sox fans and Yankees fans. Tammy Madden was seen tooling a remote controlled NASCAR vehicle all around the floor of the Fire Hall. And the local Girl Scouts had done up place mats for each table setting, each one, hand drawn, depicting a scene related to soccer, baseball, basketball, football or other sport. Fresco’s restaurant of New Lebanon, provided a splendid buffet featuring grilled chicken or beef kabobs along with Italian sausage, onions & peppers. Following the theme, desserts were laid out on the tailgate of the bed of a pickup truck that somehow was brought into the hall.
The Department hailed their new Fire Chief, Joseph Zwack, and praised outgoing Fire Chief Rich Burgess for his service over the past four years. Zwack, in the third generation of family members holding that position, retained his aplomb as his father uncle (corrected 1/19/11), Henry, introduced him mentioning how he had changed his diapers – and they were not nice.
Cyril Grant recalled that Paul Sykes had long ago advised him that the alternative to selecting an older, experienced firefighter for this job was to put in someone young and to “support that person and make him into the best Chief you could.” Grant added that, “We have that opportunity now with many of our line officers, a young group of people who are going to need our support. They will have that, and we will make them successful.”
Also in the new lineup, Donald Hoffman moves up from Fire Captain to Assistant Fire Chief. Jeff Brokalis moves up from Lieutenant-Fire to replace Hoffman as Fire Captain. Brian Barnum and Gary Joyner were appointed Fire Lieutenants and Julie Joyner joins James Bonesteel as Lieutenant-EMS. On the administrative side, John Linton replaces Danielle Hoffman as Vice President of the Department
Commissioners of the Stephentown Fire District were not being sworn in at this event, but they were recognized. New on the Board of Commissioners this year are outgoing Fire Chief Rich Burgess and Doug Griswold, who also serves on the Board of Directors. They were elected in December, replacing the deceased Sylvester Close and Earl Buffa, who declined to run for another term. The resignation of Bill Jennings to take a seat on the Town Board leaves another vacancy that has not yet been filled.
Henry Zwack and Lynda Johnson shared the role of MC for the Installation event. Zwack introduced the honored guests including County officials – County Executive Kathleen Jimino, Fire Car 2 Bill Gummer, EMS Coordinator Evan Eisenhandler, Fire Investigator Jack Curran and Emergency Manager Jack Thomas along with Berlin Fire Chief Bill Osterhout, Petersburgh Fire Chief William Seel, Stephentown Town Supervisor Larry Eckhardt and Ian Lanier, volunteer chef for the Department’s Texas Hold’em events.
County EMS Coordinator Evan Eisenhandler presented a certificate of commendation from the Emergency Medical Organization of the Hudson-Mohawk Valley for service “above and beyond” to Rik McClave, Chuck Riccardi,
Bill Jennings and Tammy Madden. They were on a crew that accomplished a cardiac reversal restoring life to an individual in the community on December 19, 2010. Eisenhandler termed it a “great success” and commended the Department for having a “very competent crew.” Rik McClave was also recognized for special service during the past year in responding to 188 calls.
McClave presented a plaque to Vivian Close and other members of the Close family recognizing the dedicated service of Si Close from 1950 to 2010 during which time he served as not only Fire Chief but also as a Fire Commissioner for over 30 years.
Active Service Awards were presented to Julie Joyner for achieving five years of service, to Doug Rontey for 10 years of service, to Tammy Madden and Steve Whitman for 15 25 (corrected 1/19/11) years of service, to Donald Hoffman for 30 years, John Close for 40 years, Lew Sharpe for 45 years, Charlie Hoffman for 55 years and to Sylvester Close posthumously for 60 years of service.
Certificates of appreciation were handed out to the children of Department members who help out at the Texas Hold’em fundraising events. The Girl Scouts were also recognized and thanked for the work they had done on the place mats.
The Veterans of Stephentown, who cooperate with the Department in raising funds with Texas Hold’em, were invited this year to the Installation Dinner. The members and all veterans were recognized for their service to the country with a standing ovation.
The following officers were sworn in by Cyril Grant, a Stephentown Town Justice as well as Battalion 5-0 Coordinator:
Chief – Joseph Zwack
Assistant Chief-Fire – Donald Hoffman
Assistant Chief-EMS – Rowland McClave III
Captain-Fire – Jeffrey Brokalis
Captain-EMS – Patricia Goodermote
Captain-Fire Police – Alexander Haley
Lieutenant-Fire – Brian Barnum
Lieutenant-Fire – Mark Mazzeo
Lieutenant-EMS – James Bonesteel
Lieutenant-EMS – Julie Joyner
Safety Officer – Charles Riccardi
Safety Officer – Stephen Whitman
President – Robert Adler
Vice President – John Linton
Secretary – Julie Joyner
Treasurer – William Jennings
Director – Wyatt Haley
Director – Doug Griswold
Director – Frank Zwack, Sr.
Director – Charles Hoffman
Director – Dave Cornell
Fire District #1 Officers
Commissioner – Frank Zwack, Sr.
Commissioner – Doug Griswold
Commissioner – Lewis Sharp
Commissioner – Richard Burgess
Treasurer – Andrew Maguire
Secretary – William Jennings