Newark Firefighters to be Honored for Rescues During Sandy, at House Fire

Editor’s note: The 200 Club of Essex County is presenting its annual Valor Awards to dozens of Newark police and firefighters for acts of bravery performed in 2012. Funds raised from the event go to assist the families of fallen first-responders.

The luncheon will be held May 9 at Mayfair Farms, 481 Eagle Rock Ave. in West Orange at 11:30 am. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased by calling 973-694-4982.

Below is the latest installment in a series listing honorees and the acts for which they are being commended.

Newark Fire Department Battalion Chief Arthur Mauriello, Battalion Chief Michael Kormash, Deputy Chief Richard Zieser, firefighters Frank Bellina, Thomas Mastroeni, Tyrone Johnson, Joseph Delikat and Luis Sanabria, along with NFD Motors Division Supervisor Anthony Maya and City of Newark mechanic Louis Arroyo are all being honored for their efforts to rescue eight PSEG employees trapped by rising floodwaters during Hurricane Sandy.

On Oct. 29, 2012 at 7 pm, the department received a call that the workers were possibly trapped in a trailer at the utility’s switching station, located at 155 Raymond Blvd.

A joint police and fire task force arrived at the scene and, with assistance from the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, deployed Zodiac boats and a high-water rescue vehicle to reach the trapped men. 

Rescuers, who contended with seven-foot floodwaters, debris and exploding transformers, attempted repeated rescues before implementing a “protect in place” policy, which involved maintaining contact with the victims until a rescue could be successfully completed. The men were not in immediate danger. 

Fire officials, after a number of department and city vehicles were rendered inoperable in other rescue attempts, decided to wait until low tide -- around 2 am Oct. 30 -- before attempting another rescue. A city dump truck was deployed to navigate about a mile of flooded city streets and reach the stranded workers. Simultaneously, fire and other personnel were conducting other rescues and responding to emergencies throughout the city.

Also being honored by the 200 Club is Newark Fire Department Capt. Vincent Mautone, who helped rescue a man from a burning building on Summer Avenue.

Mautone and the rest of Engine Company 9 responded to the three-story home, which caught fire around 9 am Aug. 13, 2012. When they arrived they saw a man on the third floor window who was threatening to jump. Mautone convinced the man to remain in place as firefighters put a stream of water on the fire behind the man, protecting him. Mautone then reached the man and helped him safely down a 35-foot ladder provided by Ladder Co. 7.