Ocean City Firefighters Win Two Statewide Awards

OCEAN CITY – Ocean City firefighters won two awards at the Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey (PFANJ) 2016 Valor Awards Dinner April 14.
Capt. Gary Green and Firefighter Bill Wasekanes earned Valor Awards for saving the life of an unconscious man in a smoldering apartment building in February 2015.
The Ocean City Fire Department had responded to a call on the 1500 block of Simpson Avenue for a structure fire. Unable to find fire in the second-floor apartment that was the subject of the call, a truck company moved to the back of the property to continue investigating.
Green and Wasekanes saw no smoke coming from any of the neighboring apartments but noticed tell-tale smoke stains on the windows of one of them. When they opened a rear door, they found smoke banked to the ground and the leg of an occupant who apparently had fallen unconscious just shy of the door. The firefighters called for an ambulance to be ready as they pulled the victim out.
He suffered burns on the hands and head and had a couple months of recovery after being immediately transported to a trauma center. The alertness and quick reactions of Green and Wasekanes had saved his life.
The PFANJ also named the Ocean City firefighters union as Local of the Year. International Association of Fire Fighters Local No. 4032 (formerly FMBA Local No. 27) was recognized for its exceptional work in both fire service and community service.
The local firefighters are cross-trained in fire, emergency medical services (EMS) and water rescue to protect the public in diverse situations. Local 4032 also volunteers its time working with the community in a wide variety of programs throughout the year, including a community open house, junior firefighter camps, fire prevention and CPR/AED education programs in the schools, Special Olympics, Operation First Response and much more.