Orange Police Officer, Firefighter To Be Honored At Chamber Awards

From the Orange Chamber of Commerce:

ORANGE, CT — Orange Police Officer Paul Piscitelli and Orange Volunteer Firefighter Lisa Kaplan will be honored at the Orange Chamber of Commerce Community Awards and Annual Meeting as the Town of Orange's Police Officer of the Year and Volunteer Firefighter of the Year.

Both honorees were chosen by the leadership teams of the Orange Police and Orange Volunteer Fire Departments respectively and will be presented their awards for outstanding service to the Orange Community on Sept. 19 at the Courtyard by Marriott, 136 Marsh Hill Road, Orange. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. with a focused program and breakfast starting promptly at 9 a.m.

Police Chief Robert Gagne and Volunteer Fire Department Chief Vaughan Dumas will be presenting the Orange Chamber of Commerce awards with members of both departments, elected officials, Chamber members, family, friends, and the general public in attendance.

Piscitelli has close to 30 years with the Orange Police Department as a sworn officer and has served in the roles of dispatcher, supernumerary officer, and regular officer. Piscitelli’s spirit of volunteerism has been multifaceted. He has displayed dedication to the Department’s mission through his enthusiastic involvement in community initiatives such as Special Olympics events and fundraisers, Camp Courant summer camp for underprivileged children, and many others.

As an EMT for over 30 years, Piscitelli provides a skilled service as the police department embraces its role as the medical first responders for the Town of Orange, helping to bolster the department as guardians of the community.

“Paul has consistently demonstrated dedication, professionalism, and leadership skills, and his coaching and mentoring skills are of paramount importance in a young and growing department,” Gagne said. “It is for all these reasons that Officer Piscitelli is highly deserving of being honored as Police Officer of the Year.”

Kaplan has resided in Orange since June 1992 where her love of the community runs deep. Before joining the Orange Volunteer Fire Department in 2009, Kaplan worked in the corporate world for several years after college, however, her favorite job (other than being a mom) was being a kindergarten teacher for 25 years at the Mary L. Tracy School in Orange.

In addition to being a firefighter, Kaplan also serves on the department's executive board as the Corresponding Secretary. She is actively involved as the Public Education Chairperson, the Co-Chair of the Personnel Committee, serves on the 100th Anniversary, and several others.

In a testament to Kaplan's service to the community, Dumas noted, "After suffering a personal tragedy, her own house having a fire, Lisa took that personal loss and turned it into a positive by taking all of the donations she received for assistance and passing it over the fire department to purchase smoke detectors to give to persons who do not have or cannot afford one."

The September 19th Community Awards and Annual Meeting will also feature a State of the Town Address by Orange First Selectman, James Zeoli, and a State of the State Address by the Connecticut Business and Industry Association's (CBIA) Vice President of Public Policy, Chris Davis.

Tickets are only $50 each for Chamber members, police officers, firefighters, veterans, senior citizens, and their families. The price includes a hot buffet breakfast and the opportunity to network with elected officials and fellow business and community leaders throughout the region.

To purchase tickets, visit https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/dsyeceq or email Chamber Executive Director, Barry Lee Cohen, director@orangectchamber.com.