Answering the Call: New City Fire Department Salutes its Top Volunteers

Member of the New City Fire Department on Sunday paid tribute to a select group of volunteers who were the top responders in the department for 2013.

If you combine the number of calls the top 17 volunteers answered, their tally comes out to 6,428 — that's an average of 378 emergency calls per man in the group.

First Assistant Chief James Avaras was cited as New City FD's top responder for the year, having answered 530 alarms  — that averages out to 1.4 emergency calls a day.

Firefighter Alan Handsman, one of the department's four assistant chief engineers, was cited as the department's "Firefighter of the Year" for his "dedication and commitment to New City Fire Engine Co. No. 1." Handsman answered 426 calls in 2012.

The New City firefighters, like firefighters in all Rockland County fire departments, are all volunteers.

As members of the department and their families gathered at the New City firehouse on Maple Avenue on Sunday afternoon to swear in department officers for 2013, they also saluted the volunteer who advanced his training by attending the most drills over the past year. This award went to Stephen Dorfman, a past Firefighter of the Year award winner who in 2012 answered 397 emergencies calls and on Sunday was sworn in as one of the assistant chief engineers. 

New City Fire Chief Kenny Flynn said his department had more than 700 alarms in 2012.

Here are the New City Fire Department top responders for 2012:

Jared A. Simon, 304

Timothy P. Kunz, 207

Timothy Woolley, 307

Michael Gisoni, 321

Michael G. Sansone, 324

Dennis Henion, 327

Thomas Henion, 360

Arthur Kunz, 367

Kenny Flynn, 371

John Pawelczyk, 375

John V. Latanzio, 392

Stephen Dorfman, 397

Kenneth Louden, 404

Alan Handsman, 426

John G. Latanzio, 444

Dennis M. Rodriguez, 472

James Avaras, 530