After 5 Lifesaving Rescues, Fairfielders And Firefighters Honored

FAIRFIELD, CT — Two Fairfield residents and several firefighters were recently honored by the fire department for their lifesaving actions during emergencies in the past year.

The honorees were recognized April 21 for their efforts, which saved the lives of five Fairfielders, according to a fire department Facebook post.

Fairfield residents Charles and Terre Shelley received the Chiefs Letter of Recognition for taking action to save their neighbors from a house fire March 13 on Ruane Street. The Shelleys saw heavy smoke coming from a nearby home, called 911, and banged on their neighbors’ door to wake the residents and get them out. The wind-driven fire eventually filled the house with smoke and flames, and spread to other buildings in the neighborhood.

“Incident Commander, Assistant Chief Roger Caisse, stated in his incident report that had it not been for quick action and early notification to the residents by their neighbors this incident would have had a very tragic ending,” the Facebook post said.

Additionally, an entire fire department unit was recognized for their efforts Nov. 7 in a complicated rope rescue to save a tree worker whose leg was pinned about 40 feet in the air.

Among those honored with the Unit Citation for Valor were: Assistant Chief George Gomola, Master Mechanic Richard Demko, Lt. Dennis Eannotti. Lt. Leroy Corbo, and firefighters Mark Goletz, George Heath, Brendan Murray, Matthew Striebe, Erik Hubbell, Jeffrey DeNitto, Will Malkin, Kyle Smith, Dominic Cocchia, Frank Zwierlein and Richard Bassett.

Lt. Justin Greenhaw, firefighter Justin Crawford and Zwierlein received the David W. Russell Jr. Exceptional Medical Service Award for their lifesaving response July 28 to a person suffering from cardiac arrest.

Firefighter David Mitkowski, as well as Corbo and Hubbell, got the same award after giving CPR and oxygen Dec. 25 to a person with no pulse.