Allentown Fire Department Lieutenant Jeremy Warmkessel is being honored as the 2017 Allentown Fire Fighter of the Year. Lt. Warmkessel was recognized at the Allentown Fire Department’s annual memorial and awards service held this morning at the Scottish Rite Cathedral as part of Fire Prevention Month.
The department recognizes firefighters for their actions over the past 12 months. In addition to Firefighter of the Year, the department presents the Alfred W. Fischl Award, a Chief’s Award, Certificates of Heroism, Bravery and Merit and Years of Service awards and Unit Citations.
Mayor Ed Pawlowski told those in attendance, “Fires are heartbreaking. The loss of life or property from fire is a tragedy. The people of this city sincerely salute our firefighters’ courage, bravery and loyalty.”
Lt. Warmkessel is a graduate of William Allen High School and attended West Chester University. He also served in the United States Marine Corp Reserves.
Lt. Warmkessel graduated from the Allentown Fire Academy in 2002, completed his journeyman apprentice certification and was promoted to Lieutenant in January 2009. He holds many certifications, including Firefighter I and II, EMT, and Hazardous Materials Technician.
His fellow firefighters praise his passion for the job and becoming an outstanding interior officer during structure fires.
Fire Chief Lee Laubach credits Warmkessel with playing a large role in assisting Fire Administration with the updating of Standard Operating Guidelines for the department’s Red Book and spearheading the streamlining of procedures used at the Central Fire Station office for staffing and special team hiring.
Laubach says Warmkessel is an old school firefighter. “He is direct, to the point and will always champion the safety, health and well-being of the department as well as our members.”
The Alfred W. Fischl Fire Service Award was presented to Battalion Chief Jeffrey Hess for his consistent and dedicated work ethic throughout his career. This award is presented to a fire department individual who has served at least 20 years and has exemplified himself with consistent and dedicated work habits.
Battalion Chief Hess has 22 years of dedicated service with the department in which he has served as a Firefighter, a Fire Specialist, Lieutenant, Captain and now Battalion Chief in charge of the 4th Battalion.
According to Chief Laubach, “I know firsthand of his unparalleled work ethic and leadership skills. He has exemplified himself time and time again in the manner in which he handles fire calls and his consistent attention to detail when it comes to running the office and completing paperwork. This work ethic has also has carried over into his time as a Battalion Chief.”
The Chief’s Award, which goes to individuals who go above and beyond in fostering the department’s image through activities and events they attend and facilitate outside their normal working hours, was presented to retired Captain Ken Bratsch and retired Firefighter Keith Mann.
Bratsch has put in thousands of hours digitizing Allentown firefighter cemetery records, walking some 40 cemeteries and recording the exact GPS coordinates of the grave locations, and starting a new computerized record of every member.
Mann annually visits cemeteries and places new flags at Allentown firefighter graves. He has been instrumental in doing historical research on the department and helps out Captain Bratsch with the newest updates of department records.
The Francis Baer Fire Education/Prevention Award was presented to Lieutenant James Saylor Jr. The award is presented to an individual or organization that was exemplary over the past year in the area of fire prevention and all activities related to public safety. Lt. Saylor was nominated for his on-going work with the fire safety house and programs at Mack South Fire Station.
Twenty year service awards were presented to Lieutenants Christopher Gerencher and Jaime Miranda and Firefighters Michael Bryant and Philip Lathrop. Lieutenant Thomas Rychnovsky and Fire Marshal Ian Lenig were recognized for 25 years of service.
Forty-one members of the department were awarded a Unit Citation for their work in battling a three-alarm fire on December 1, 2016 reported at 440 N. Fulton Street. The fire spread quickly from one house to another through the adjoining ceiling and roof lines. The bulk of the fire efforts were on the upper floors and the roof extending severe damage to six properties, however because of the extensive effort of the firefighters, two houses were saved. Citations were awarded to: Battalion Chief Jeffery Hess; Captains James Kutz, John Christopher and Bryce Thompsen; Lieutenants David Arner, Trevor Beers, James Boyle, Jason Custer, Charles Haydt, Paul Heckenberger, Peter Lenig, Craig McGinnis, Thomas Rychnovsky, James Saylor, Jeremy Warmkessel and Robert Xander; Fire Marshals Michael Barron and Michael Taylor; and Firefighters Michael Achey, Wadih Atiyeh, Rodney Bolton, John Burkhart, Austin Deutsch, Kevin Frantz, William Gauntner, Dustin Grow, Brennan Harding, Mark Kennedy, Vincent Kidd, Thomas King, Nicholas Koedyker, Michael Kostick, Nathan Krajcirik, Christopher Mokris, Keith Pierce, Roger Scheirer, Eric Sommers, Jonathan Steed, Jason Tatum, Todd Weisel, and Christopher Williams. A Civilian Commendation for the same incident was awarded to Rodney Watts, who rescued three occupants from the burning home and alerted neighbors to the fire.
Twenty-four Unit Citations were awarded to department members who battled a March 25, 2017 blaze at 621 N. 9th Street. Upon arrival, firefighters encountered a well involved single family dwelling with heavy fire conditions. They contained the fire to that single unit. Citations were awarded to: Deputy Chief James Wehr; Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage; Battalion Chief Christian Williams; Captains Sean O’Neill and John Christopher; Lieutenants Beers, Warmkessel, William Henry, Jaime Miranda and Mark Trumbore; and Firefighters Harding, Pierce, Williams, Michael Bryant, Christopher Dutko, Matthew Eharth, Lloyd Evans II, Jason Janis, Mark Kresge Jr., Philip Lathrop, Peter McAllister, Arthur Scott, Joseph Zimmerman and Peter Zondlo. A Certificate of Appreciation was awarded for the same operation to Air 1.
Firefighters Zachary Shepard and Todd Weisel were honored for heroism for rescuing an unconscious victim of carbon monoxide poisoning at 1441 Linden Street on January 7, 2016. Unit Citations were bestowed upon Lieutenant David Arner and Firefighters Burkhart, Frantz, Weisel, Shepard and Sommers.
Battalion Chief William Held was awarded a Certificate of Heroism and Firefighter Chad Ege was awarded a Certificate of Bravery for their response to a motor vehicle accident on March 27, 2017 at 242 N. 8th Street. They came upon the accident scene while returning from a fuel run. Firefighter Ege ran to the vehicle and assessed the situation. He found one male, still in his seat belt, but unconscious and turning blue. The suddenness of the event cause both Held and Ege to operate at the scene in only station wear. With the patient’s life in the balance, Ege crawled into the car and lifted the patient as high as he could, relieving the pressure on his neck which allowed him to breathe. Then, using a pocket knife, he was able to cut the seatbelt and maneuver the patient to allow treatment by EMS. EMS tended to the patient while other arriving firefighters used rescue tools to cut the car and free his foot, which was crushed under the dash. Without Ege's quick and decisive actions, this patient would almost certainly have suffocated and died.
Seven firefighters received Certificates of Merit for a November 16, 2016 fire at 929 N. 5th Street where they rescued a fire victim from a third floor window ledge and a dog from the second floor. They are: Lieutenant Robert Xander and Firefighters Wadih Atiyeh, Theodore Dale, Jonathan Hammel, Mark Kennedy, Aaron Pychinka and Christopher Williams. Unit Citations were awarded to Battalion Chief Jeffrey Hess; Captain Bryce Thompsen; Lieutenants Xander, Jack Bryant and Michael Smith; and Firefighters Atiyeh, Dale, Hammel, Kennedy, Pychinka, Williams, Michael Achey, Adam Arndt, Austin Deutsch, John Burkhardt, Steven Foulke, Thomas King, Steven Munsch and Todd Weisel.
Firefighters Jonathan Hammel and Matthew Eharth and Allentown EMS paramedics Alex Takacs and Ron Gunnis were awarded Certificates of Merit for their response to a January 3, 2017 deadly motor vehicle accident at S. 4th and Susquehanna streets. Medic 100’s Keith Davis was also awarded a Certificate of Merit and Certificates of Appreciation went to Cetronia Ambulance and Macungie Ambulance for providing assistance. Eleven firefighters received Unit Citations for the operation. They are: Deputy Chief Wehr; Assistant Chief Kiskeravage; Captain O’Neill; Lieutenants Rychnovsky and Xander; and Firefighters Hammel, Eharth, Achey, Foulke, Williams and Anthony Rosanio.
Michael Surrell earned a Civilian Certificate of Commendation from the department for rescuing an eight year old girl from a burning building at 1357 Liberty Street in May of this year. Surrell was also recently honored by The Burn Prevention Network for his bravery. He went into the building knowing that he suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and was risking his life not just from the flames. Surrell inhaled smoke from the fire and had to be hospitalized as a result.
Civilian Meritorious Awards were presented to Nyjzell and Malachi Greene for a June 30, 2017 fire at 717 Arch Street and Romauldo Caraballo and Magdaliz Diaz for a February 6, 2017 apartment fire at 703 E. Hamilton Street. The Greenes, who had been delivering newspapers, called 911 to report the fire and found a ground ladder and placed it up to the bedroom window enabling the occupant to escape the flames. Caraballo removed a resident who had fallen from the apartment and joined Diaz in using fire extinguishers to put out the fire.
Certificates of Merit were awarded to firefighters Christopher Mokris and Michael Evans and Certificates of Appreciation were awarded to Allentown EMS paramedics Jason Kistler and Jesse Eichelbaum for their response in reviving a cardiac arrest patient at 1723 Race Street on June 7, 2017.
Lieutenant Saylor and firefighters Koedyker and Kostic earned Unit Citations for reviving a person in cardiac arrest on November 30, 2016 at 1245 Airport Road.
Seven firefighters were honored for their roles in securing a firefighter bailout system. The bailout system is a device that will act as a last line of defense for a firefighter who becomes trapped in a fire. The equipment is a personal safety device that will allow a firefighter to make an emergency exit out of a window to save his life. Assistant Chief Kiskeravage, Lieutenant Beers and firefighters Eharth, Pierce, Zondlo, Kidd and Michael Matchette were presented with Certificates of Merit.
The department also presented Certificates of Appreciation to Dan Ring of Trio Provisions, Rachel Leggore of BB&T Bank and Evelyn Quinones for providing meals for the department. Quinones provided Thanksgiving dinner.
Fourth and fifth grade students participating in the department’s 2017 "Every Second Counts: Plan 2 Ways Out!" Poster Contest were honored with certificates.
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