Showing Their Valor: Newark Cops, Firefighters Earn Awards

NEWARK, NJ — Several first responders in Newark recently earned “Valor Awards” from the Two Hundred Club of Essex County.

According to the club, here’s who earned awards in Newark this year:

APPLYING THEIR TRAINING - Newark Fire Division Captains Jose Cantara and Dayon Cobbs for displaying bravery, where they applied their training by conducting a quick and thorough primary search during an apartment fire under worsening conditions, all before hose lines and water were applied to the fire, and safely removing a victim and transferring him to EMS for transport to the hospital.

RESCUE OF BURNED MAN - Newark Fire Division Captain Francisco DeOliveira, and Firefighters Eduardo Pinto and Joseph Ventura for walking up to a seventh-floor fire with near zero visibility, while wearing full turnout gear, without a protective hose line, and rescuing a badly burned man by carrying him down seven floors where he was turned over to EMTs for treatment.

SAVING A LIFE - Newark Fire Division Firefighters James Hubbard and Rashon Loggins for saving a life and transferring the victim to EMS, under extremely hazardous fire conditions.

WORKING TOGETHER - Newark Police Detectives Gabriel Serrano, Nicholas Edert, Ricardo Macieira, Dwayne Mays, Jr, Jared Mickens, and Qadiryyah Marshall of the Criminal Intelligence Section for showing courage, diligence, and fearlessness when working together as a cohesive unit to disarm an actor who was shooting at them, while never drawing their own weapons because of the close proximity of civilians.

The Two Hundred Club of Essex County, which was founded in 1966 to assist the families of police and firefighters killed in the line of duty, and is the oldest such organization of its kind, will hold its 56th Annual Valor Awards luncheon at Nanina’s in the Park, 540 Mill Street in Belleville on Tuesday, May 10. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact 973-694-4982.

This year, 28 police officers and 16 firefighters will be recognized for “bravery, dedication to duty, courageous vigilance and selflessness.”

Since the Valor Awards were not awarded in 2020 due to the pandemic, this year’s awards include actions taken in 2020 and 2021.

“While everyone was at home working virtually for the past two years because of the pandemic, these fine police officers, firefighters, and first responders did not have that luxury, they had to show up – the public expected them to show up, protect, and respond to their calls for service. Thankfully, and without regard to their own safety, they responded magnificently,” said Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura, a member of The Two Hundred Club’s Board of Trustees.

Nominations for The Two Hundred Club’s Valor Awards are made by the chiefs of Essex County’s municipal and fire departments and the commanding officers of federal, state, and regional public safety agencies. Valor Award recipients are selected by The Two Hundred Club’s Executive Committee.

Since its inception, The Two Hundred Club of Essex County has raised over $2 million to support the spouses of fallen officers and fund college scholarships for their children.

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