Centerport FD Installs Officers, Presents Awards

Officers of the Centerport Fire Department were recently installed for 2018 at the 120th Annual Installation Dinner.

The Chief Officers installed were Chief of Department Thomas Boyd, First Assistant Chief Richard Miltner and Second Assistant Chief Andrew Heglund.

The Deputy Chiefs installed were Chaplain Paul Heglund, Medical Dr. Jack Geffken and PIO/Photographer Steve Silverman.

The Company officers that were installed include:

• Engine Company No. 1 – Captain Christopher Cunningham, First Lieutenant Daniel Gunther and Second Lieutenant Cary Smolcnop.
• Engine Company No. 2 – Captain Andrew Stevenson and Lieutenant Steven Jones.
• Eagle Truck Company – Captain Kyle McLaughlin, First Lieutenant A.J. Jensen and Second Lieutenant Nicholas Feeley.
• Fire Police – Captain Elias Felluss, Lieutenant James Cox.
• Rescue Squad – Captain Walter Lawrence and Lieutenant Michael Gunther.
• Water Rescue Squad – Coordinators James Feeley and Joseph Morency.

The Company Member of the Year Awards were awarded to:

• Eagle Truck - Ex-Chief Robert Ciafardoni.
• Engine Co. One - Alexander Reilly.
• Engine Co. Two - Ex-Chief Kevin Dearie
• Rescue Squad - Debora Thide
• Fire Police - Captain Elias Felluss.

The following members were also recognized with Lifesaving Awards and a Unit Citation for a Cardiac Arrest incident: Robert Bentivegna, Lieut. Daniel Gunther, Second Assistant Chief Andrew Heglund, Ex-Captain James Cox, Ex-Chief James Feeley, Ex-Chief Paul Heglund, Ex-Captain Samuel Jones, John Knoph, Douglas Kranz, Joseph Morency, Peter Reilly, Ex-Chief Andrew Stevenson and District Paramedic David Cira.

Additional awards:

• The Harry Burr Memorial Award for answering the most alarms was presented to Captain Larry Lawrence.
• Ex-Chief Paul Heglund was presented with an axe in recognition of his 50 years of dedicated service.
• The Top Fire and Rescue Response Award was presented to Ex-Chief James Feeley.
• Rescue Squad Top Response Awards were presented to Captain Larry Lawrence, Ex-Chief James Feeley, Robert Bentivegna, Lieut. Steven Jones, John Knoph, Debora Thide and Douglas Kranz.

Info, photos by Steve Silverman