A Niantic Family of Firefighters Is Honored

Niantic native Michael Nebelung earned his firefighter’s certification at the age of 19. On Sunday, he was honored as the Firefighter of the Year for the Niantic Fire Department at an Elks Lodge ceremony.

The Elks asks fire departments in East Lyme, the Mohegan Tribe, Montville, New London, and Waterford to choose a recipient for the award. There is also an award for the Lawrence + Memorial Hospital Paramedic of the Year.

For Nebelung, firefighting is a family tradition. His grandfather, former Niantic Fire Chief Fred Johnson began volunteering for the Niantic Fire Department in 1942 and served until his death in 2004 at the age of 80. At the Elks Lodge annual firefighter recognition, Johnson was fondly remembered as a mentor by other honorees, including New London's Firefighter of the Year, Chief Ron Samul.

Samul, who plans to retire at the end of the month, has been with the department since 1970, became chief in 1985, and was a founding member of organizations such as the New London County Fire Chiefs’ Association.

New London Deputy Chief Henry Kydd said Samul has been instrumental in working with the chiefs of surrounding departments and credited him with supporting regionalization efforts, which Kydd said he hopes are realized in a regional dispatch center.

Samul recalled sitting with former Niantic fire chief Fred Johnson at the first Elks event and doing work with Johnson such as planning how to respond to emergencies at the Millstone Power Station.

“I’ve had the opportunity to work with all these great people, and of course you always learn something from great people,” said Samul. “So if that helped me be a little better chief, then it really is because of those folks who showed us how to be good officers and good leaders.”

State Rep. Ed Jutila, who gave a citation from the Connecticut General Assembly for all the firefighters honored on Sunday, also spoke about how Johnson had helped him.

“I learned a lot about the fire department from Chief Johnson, but I learned even more about life,” said Jutila.

“Patriots to our community”

Mayor Ron McDaniel of Montville praised the departments for working together to respond to emergencies.

“When one of you is in trouble, you all rally around him and help each other out,” said McDaniel.

Elks trustee Herb Eldridge also said he was glad to recognize the first responders.

“You’re all patriots to our community, and you’re all heroes to someone when they’re in crisis and you arrive,” he said.

Those who received honors at Sunday’s event were:

• Stephanie Archambault, L+M Paramedics
• Arthur Brooks, Oakdale Fire Department
• Larry Cochran Sr. (posthumous), Goshen Fire Department
• Randall Grout, Montville Fire Department
• Michael Lewis, Chesterfield Fire Department
• Marcus Milukas, Quaker Hill Fire Department
• Michael Nebelung, Niantic Fire Department
• Timothy O’Neill, Jordan Fire Department
• Chief Ronald Samul, New London Fire Department
• Justin Sylvestre, Oswegatchie Fire Department
• Ronald York, Mohegan Tribal Fire Department