By Jim Read
The Post-Standard (Syracuse, New York)
Copyright 2007 Post-Standard
All Rights Reserved
MINOA, N.Y. — Members of the Minoa Fire Department and other rescuers are being praised for their handling of the December 13 train-truck crash that took the life of a CSX employee.
An e-mail from Robert Bumbolo of the yard’s mechanical department was read January 3 at the Minoa Village Board meeting.
“The moment the 911 call went out to the rescue squad at 5:19 in the evening until 5 a.m. the next morning, these people showed nothing but respect, dignity and professionalism in every aspect of the event and everything they did,” Bumbolo wrote of the fire department. “There was always someone at our side from this department to render any assistance or support.”
Mayor Richard Donovan said that he and Trustee Bill Brazill , the village’s fire commissioner, were at the rail yard while firefighters and police worked.
“I was very impressed by everyone,” he said. “Each agency gave each other the space they needed to do their jobs.”
Ronald Foster, 54, was killed when his company truck was struck by a rail car as he drove the truck across the tracks in the yard. It took hours to remove Foster’s body from the truck because nearby hazardous materials had to be neutralized and a crane was called in to lift the rail car off the truck.
The police investigation into the death is nearly complete, said Manlius Police Capt. Bill Bleyle .
Bumbolo said the firefighters treated the situation as a rescue and not a recovery from start to finish.
“The rescue team showed nothing but respect and the utmost care in everything they did and everyone they came in contact with,” he wrote. “On behalf of DeWitt Mechanical, we thank you.”
Brazill said many people don’t realize the village’s fire department is all-volunteer. The members spend so many hours training to handle rescues and structure fires that ""volunteer’ doesn’t seem to be the right word,” he said. “They are professionals.”
Minoa is the only village fire department in the town staffed entirely by volunteers, he said.
“It was not pleasant duty,” Donovan said. “These guys had to get up and go to work in the morning, if they got to bed at all.”
Chairman re-elected
Chris Daly was re-elected chairman of the DeWitt Fire District’s Board of Fire Commissioners at its organizational meeting Jan. 8. Steve Black was re-elected vice chairman.
Jeff Daly attended his first board meeting as a board member. He was elected to the board last month over incumbent Brian Schultz . The board reappointed Dave Stratton as secretary, Howard Finck as assistant secretary and Claude Pilon as treasurer.
The board moved the regular meeting times to 6 p.m. the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. The board had been meeting the second and fourth Mondays.
Commissioners also approved the department’s deputy chiefs that were selected at the department’s elections last month. David Steinberg was elected first assistant chief, replacing Marty Sicilia , who did not stand for re-election. Steinberg previously was second assistant chief. Phil Vander Molen was elected second assistant chief.
Vander Molen is a 10-year member of the department and served as a lieutenant for three years. He also served five years with the Warwick Fire Department and two years with a volunteer department in New Jersey. He said he ran for the chief’s job because “I want to serve my community.”
The board recognized the recently elected officers of the DeWitt Fire Co., the nonprofit agency that supports the volunteer organization within the district. Jeff Conlon was elected president in place of Brian Schultz, who did not stand for re-election. Larry Isaac is vice president; Dan Vieux is secretary; Bill Morris is assistant secretary; Sara Errington is treasurer; “Phip” Resch is assistant treasurer; and Doug Speck is sergeant-at-arms.