Greenlawn FD Makes Statement On Line Of Duty Death

The Greenlawn Fire Department announced the line of duty death of department member M. Kent Stillwagon in the statement below:

The Chief’s Office of the Greenlawn Fire Department regrets to announce that Paramedic, United States Army Veteran, and Ex-Rescue Squad Lieutenant, M. Kent Stillwagon has died in the line of duty.

Authorities believe that Kent had a cardiac event shortly after responding to numerous calls on the evening of Monday, April 16. Kent was on duty at his home where he was found in cardiac arrest. His fellow volunteers and friends from the Greenlawn Fire Department responded and tried valiantly to resuscitate him. Kent was transported to Huntington Hospital, and after an extended resuscitation attempt by hospital staff, passed away early on Tuesday, April 17.

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A member of the Greenlawn Fire Department from June 2004 until July 2010, Kent initially joined as a Firefighter, received his certification as a NYS EMT-B and eventually became a certified NYS Paramedic. He left the Department in 2010 and rejoined in April 2017. He refreshed his Paramedic certification
and became one of the Department’s most active volunteers.

On multiple occasions Kent was recognized as Rescue Member of the Year, first in 2005 and secondly in 2009. In 2017 Kent was once again honored when he received the Top EMT in Charge award. He was the EMS Provider in charge of 104 calls for the year, despite having been an active Department member for only three quarters of the year.

Chief of Department Michael Bellis stated “Kent Stillwagon was one of the finest paramedics and volunteers this Department has ever seen. A truly selfless member, he was always willing to help in any capacity without
hesitation. He continually applied his wealth of knowledge, teaching and shaping senior and junior members alike, including members of surrounding agencies where he worked part time as a Paramedic. There are so many people, myself included, who are better people, better volunteers and better EMS providers for having known and worked with Kent Stillwagon.

Image, statement via Greenlawn Fire Department