Riverhead Fire Department honored the outgoing captain of its Fire Police Patrol Company and and installed new company officers last night at Giorgio’s in Baiting Hollow.
Baycan Fideli stepped down after serving nine years as captain of the Fire Police Patrol Company, which responds to fires, accidents and other incidents to support firefighting and emergency operations with traffic control posts and other responsibilities.
Chief Kevin Brooks lauded the company for its faithful and professional performance of duties and thanked its members for always keeping firefighters and other emergency personnel at an incident scene safe from traffic hazards.
Fideli’s nine-year stint as captain went above and beyond, the chief said. His standard response to anything asked of him is always, “I got this,” Brooks said.
Fideli presided over a period of unprecedented growth in the company, after the department in 2014 implemented a new class of membership for firefighters aimed at expanding membership opportunities. Establishing the new class B firefighters provided an opportunity for people moving into the district later on in life and for retirees looking for a way to give back to the community, the department’s public information officer, William Sanok, said in a 2015 interview.
The company currently has 27 active members and many of them play essential roles in the department — everything from department chaplains to teaching most, if not all, of the department’s mandatory classes. Brooks said.
Fideli passed the baton to the company’s new captain, Tom Fleischman.
Fleischman, a former member of the Westhampton Beach Fire Department, joined the Riverhead Fire Department in 2014 after moving back to his hometown. His family has roots in the Riverhead Fire Department that span four generations: grandfather Charles Blasl (an assistant chief when he passed away in 1951 at age 50); father Richard Fleischman; brother Jeff Fleischman; and nephews Brian and Chris Fleischman.
Fleischman joined RFD as a member of the Fire Police Patrol.
He was sworn in last night along with company officers: First Lieutenant Ed Aube; Second Lieutenant Robert Doyle; Treasurer William Sanok; and Secretary Jeffrey McCarthy.
The company’s top responders of 2017 were also honored: Ed Aube, 217 calls; Marcel LeCann, 201 calls; Dariusz Andruskiewicz, 185 calls; David White, 135 calls; Piotr Narkiewicz, 123 calls.
The survival of local journalism depends on your support.
We are a small family-owned operation. You rely on us to stay informed, and we depend on you to make our work possible. Just a few dollars can help us continue to bring this important service to our community.
Support RiverheadLOCAL today.
