WFD Junior Program Members Receive Service Awards and Scholarships

Left-right: Chief of Department Dan Schweikart with members of the junior program, Greg Mazza, Jared Fersko-Weiss Jordan Moser, (not present Andrew Snigur)

Warwick Fire Department junior firefighters recently received service awards and scholarships at the Warwick Valley High School awards night in June. Greg Mazza, Jared Fersko-Weiss Jordan Moser, and Andrew Snigur received service awards for their active roles as members of the Warwick Fire Department while maintaining high academic averages in School. The program is a joint effort between the School and the Fire Department and is designed to foster a sense of community service and pride in our young adults while stressing the importance of academic achievement.

Warwick Fire Department Scholarship Award Winners Andrew Snigur of Engine Company #3, the son of Past-Chief Gregg Snigur and Jordan Moser, an active member of the Goodwill Hook and Ladder Company #1, were both awarded $1,000.

In order to qualify for the Warwick Fire Department Scholarship Award, the applicant must be a graduating senior who has been accepted as a full-time student at a College, Technical or Business School and must either be an active member of the Warwick Fire Department or his/her parent(s) or guardian must be an active member of the Department. In order to apply, the applicant must, among other things, submit an essay that introduces himself/herself and describes his/her accomplishments and goals. Final selections, which are made by the Scholarship Committee, are based on: Community Service Activities; Academic Standing; School Activities; the aforementioned Essay; and an interview with the Scholarship Committee.

The Warwick Fire Department and all of it members would like to congratulate the award winners for a job well done. Keep up the hard work!

Four More Warwick Fire Department Firefighters Graduate the Fire Service Academy


Left-Right: Chief of Department Dan Schweikart, Firefighter Chris Miles (Engine Co. #3), Firefighter Dan Dixon (Engine Co. #3), Firefighter Jake Dromgold (Engine Co. #3), and Firefighter Ken Dromgold (Engine Co. #3), and Engine Company #3 Captain Kevin Hagan

Four Warwick firefighters from Engine Company #3; Chris Milles, Dan Dixon, Jake Dromgold, and Ken Drumgold, recently graduated from Firefighter 1 at the Rockland County Fire Training Center. Firefighter 1 is a New York State course consisting of approximately 100 hours and is designed to prepare new firefighters for the fire service field. From this starting point, the new graduates will continue their training within the Warwick Fire Department by attending any number of monthly hands-on drills and classroom scenarios, conducted by both the Department and the individual companies; covering all aspects of rescue work and firefighting, and may also elect to attend any of the numerous courses offered during the course of the year by both New York State and Orange County.

After graduating Firefighter1, Jake Dromgold and Chris Miles went on to complete Firefighter2 at the Orange County Fire Training Center and Ken Dromgold and Jake Dromgold also completed Firefighter Survival. 

Left-Right: Capt. Steve Stuart (Raymond Hose Co.#2) , Lt. Phil Cialella (Goodwill Hook & Ladder Co.#1), firefighters Joe Nuara (Raymond Hose Co.#2), Kevin Kenny (Raymond Hose Co.#2), Jared Fersko-Weiss (Raymond Hose Co.#2), and Greg Mazza (Goodwill Hook & Ladder Co.#1), and Chief of Department Dan Schweikart

Four Warwick firefighters complete the fire academy:

Four firefighters Joe Nuara, Kevin Kenny, Jared Fersko-Weiss, and Greg Mazza, all of the Warwick Fire Department, recently graduated from Firefighter 1 at the Orange County Fire Training Center. Firefighter 1 is a New York State course consisting of over 100hrs of training to prepare new firefighters for the fire service field.

From this starting point, the new graduates will continue their training within the Warwick Fire Department by attending monthly hands-on drills and classroom scenarios, covering all aspects of rescue work and firefighting, conducted by both the Department and the individual Companies and may also elect to attend any of the numerous courses offered during the course of the year by both New York State and Orange County.

 Training News

::: Car Fire Training :::

April 6th, 2011 - At the request of Captain Contaxis, representatives from Bullex Inc. were on hand at Station One, to demonstrate some of the training aids their company manufactures.

In addition to the Vehicle Fire Training Prop seen in these photos, the Bullex reps brought along two models of their SmartDummy rescue mannequins, a Smoke Generator 4000 and a GasTrainer gas meter training device for the members to work with.

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 Incident News

::: Incident: House Fire :::

March 5, 2011 - Warwick firefighters battled a house fire on Cascade Road Saturday evening. When they arrived, firefighters found heavy smoke and flames pouring from the house. No one was in the home at the time of the fire but unfortunately one of the family’s two dogs was unable to escape the blaze and perished in the fire. The house was heavily damaged by the fire, which investigators believe was caused by a coal stove.

The Greenwood Lake and Goshen fire departments along with the Warwick Community Ambulance Service assisted Warwick FD at the scene. Crews from the Chester and Pine Island fire departments were on standby in Warwick’s stations during the incident.

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::: Incident: Mutual Aid Structure Fire :::

February 20, 2011 – The Greenwood Lake Fire Department requested assistance from Warwick to battle a house fire on Chestnut Street Sunday afternoon. Initially Warwick’s Firefighter Assist and Search Team (FAST) was requested to the scene and Engine 634 was asked to stand-by in Greenwood Lake’s quarters. Those orders soon changed however and the FAST members and engine crew were put to work fighting the fire.

Tuxedo and Chester Fire Departments also responded to the fire. Tuxedo’s FAST crew replaced Warwick’s and Chester firefighters assisted with suppression and overhaul. Monroe and Greenwood Forest Fire Departments were placed on stand-by in the Greenwood Lake firehouse during the incident.

Two occupants of the home were injured in the fire. Greenwood Lake Ambulance Corps transported them to the hospital where they were treated for minor burns and smoke inhalation. Two dogs and a pet snake died as a result of the fire.

According to Greenwood Lake Fire Chief John Rader the cause of the fire is not considered suspicious.

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::: Incident: Mutual Aid Structure Fire :::

February 5, 2011 - The Warwick Fire Department’s Firefighter Assist and Search Team (FAST) was dispatched to aid the Florida Fire Department at a house fire on Werner Avenue.

According to published reports, the fire destroyed the basement of the home. Goshen and Pine Island Fire Departments also responded on mutual aid. There were no injuries.

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Photographs courtesy of Robert Breese

::: Incident: Restaurant Fire :::

February 4, 2011 - A fire at the Grappa Ristorante 22 Railroad Avenue was contained by the quick work of the Warwick Fire Department Friday evening. Dispatched to a call of “Smoke in the building,” firefighters rapidly located the fire in a wall next to the restaurant’s stove and extinguished it.

The Pine Island Fire Department was placed on stand by in Warwick Station Two during the alarm.

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Photographs courtesy of Robert Breese

::: Incident: Truck Fire :::

January 18, 2011 – Warwick firefighters extinguished a truck fire at the Italian Villa on Route 94 South. 

The truck caught fire while plowing snow in the parking lot of the restaurant.

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Photographs courtesy of Robert Breese

::: Incident: Fatal MVA :::

December 29, 2010 - Warwick and Greenwood Lake Fire Departments, EMS and Police responded to an MVA that tragically took the life of a 17-year-old female and injured four others on the evening of December 29th 2010. The accident took place on Route 17A near the intersection with Jarmain Road.

The girl and three friends were returning home from a ski outing when the driver of the car lost control on a sharp bend, crossed into the opposing lane and stuck a van head-on. After striking the van, the car went over the guardrail and plunged some 40 to 50 feet down a steep snow covered embankment. According to authorities and published reports, the 17-year-old female was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle during the crash. The three other occupants of the car, along with the driver of the van were wearing seat belts and suffered non-life threatening injuries.

With the use of rope lines and Stokes baskets rescuers were able to bring the victims to waiting ambulances. As a precaution, one of the more seriously injured youths was flown by helicopter to a trauma center.  -click here for more photos-
 

::: Structure Fire :::

Thursday November 25, 2010 - Warwick firefighters battled a structure fire in the early morning hours of Thanksgiving Day. Dispatched to 9 DeKay Road in the Town of Warwick at 12:54 A.M. firefighters arrived to a building fully ablaze. Because there are no hydrants in that area, mutual aid tankers from the Pine Island and Vernon fire departments were called to shuttle water to the scene. The Chester Fire Department also responded to the scene to standby with their Firefighter Assist and Search Team. Florida and Greenwood Lake fire departments were on standby in Warwick’s stations during the fire. Members of the Warwick Community Ambulance Service were also on scene to assist with firefighter rehabilitation. The building, which was destroyed by the fire, had been undergoing renovation and was unoccupied at the time of the fire. There were no injuries and the cause of the fire is believed to be accidental.  -click here for more photos-

WFD NEWS ARCHIVE Page 1 - 2