North Caldwell Firefighters Rescue Woman During Gas Leak, Get Valor Award

Two North Caldwell firefighters will be honored for bravery at the 200 Club of Essex County’s 50th annual Valor Awards on May 5.

The annual awards are intended to recognize “bravery, dedication to duty, courageous vigilance and selflessness,” according to a news release.

“The job of a police officer or firefighter is tougher today than ever before,” said Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura, a member of The 200 Club’s board of trustees. “Law enforcement and firefighting are extremely hazardous professions which are performed at tremendous personal risk.”

This year, the club will honor 17 law enforcement officers and 12 firefighters for bravery on the job.

NORTH CALDWELL HEROISM

The following statement comes from via the 200 Club of Essex County:

“On the morning of May 20 the North Caldwell Police and Fire Departments received a call for a very strong odor of natural gas at Building #7 of the Four Seasons Condo complex. Arriving police officers observed an extremely strong odor inside the building and they were informed that a CO detector was sounding in Unit #55. The police evacuated the building, as Fire Chief John D’Ascensio arrived on the scene. He was advised that the resident of the unit had major health issues.

“Fire Lt. Lee Sutherlin and Firefighter David Hicock donned full personal protective equipment and self-contained breathing apparatus and entered the building. They were able to force the door to Unit #55 and conducted a search utilizing a gas meter. Very high readings of natural gas and CO were registered.

“They located the 88 year old resident who was unconscious and unresponsive. Lt. Sutherlin made the grab and they removed her from the apartment to a safe area where she was administered oxygen by the police officers and also a doctor who resided in the building. The firefighters then returned to the apartment and proceeded to open windows to ventilate the unit.

“The follow-up investigation revealed that she had turned on several burners after having made coffee, and she went into her den where she passed out. From the dried coffee stains on the carpet, it appeared that she had been there for some time.

“Lt. Sutherlin and Firefighter Hicock acted in a cool, professional manner and went above and beyond the call of duty to rescue the victim and save a life. Because of their actions as well as those of the other firefighters, police officers, EMT’s, working together, the woman survived and eventually was able to return to her apartment.”

THE HEROES OF 2016

This year’s individual Valor Award recipients include:

• Newark Police Sergeant Matthew Ruane, Newark Police Detectives Ana Colon and Tyrell Wheeler, Essex County Sheriff’s Detective Abdullah Holmes and NJIT Police Sergeant Antoine Hughes “for the capture of two armed suspects who opened fire on them on a city street”
• Newark Police Detectives Juan Ramos and Wyhidi Wilson “for the capture of an armed suspect”
• Newark Police Detective Glen Calderon “for single-handedly capturing two armed suspects during a robbery in progress”
• Irvington Police Patrolman Edward Pearce “for single-handedly capturing a gun-wielding suspect”
• New Jersey State Police Detective II Anthony Giunta, Detective II Edward Schmalz and Trooper Blazej Oczkos “for the capture of a kidnapping and attempted murder suspect and the rescue of the three-year-old victim”
• Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Detectives Eric Manns, Carlos Olmo and Kenneth Poggi “for the capture of two homicide suspects”
• South Orange Police Chief Kyle Kroll and Detective Steven Davenport “for the capture of an armed robbery suspect”
• North Caldwell Fire Lieutenant Lee Sutherlin and Firefighter David Hicock “for successfully evacuating a large residential complex and the rescue of an unconscious 88-year-old female victim during a natural gas leakage event”
• Newark Fire Captains Delfin Ortiz and Mark Furka ad Firefighter Derek Hunter “for the rescue of three adults and four children from a residential fire”
• Newark Fire Captain Frank Fonseca and Firefighters Michael Bellina, Tony DeFeo, Carlo Dello Russo and Carlos Henriques “for the rescue of an unconscious pregnant female and her two unconscious children from a residential fire”
• Newark Fire Captain Carl Wendt and Firefighter Raymond Hatton “for the rescue of three children from a residential fire”

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