For Immediate Release

Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2015

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Groveland Firefighters Honored with Massachusetts Fire Service Awards

GROVELAND – Chief Robert Lay is pleased to report that several members of the Groveland Fire Department received the Massachusetts Fire Service Award at a ceremony in town last night.

The awards were created to recognize and honor the Commonwealth’s firefighters for their years of service. They are available to any firefighter in the state who has served for 20 years or more and are awarded in five-year increments.

State Fire Marshall Stephen D. Coan presented the awards to nine members of the call department on Oct. 13. Each received a citation and pin, depicting the number of years served.

“It’s a very special person who is willing to give the time to become trained and be able to answer that bell 24 hours a day,” State Fire Marshal Coan said at the ceremony. “In many ways the fire department is very much part of the social fabric of the community and I don’t think it’s any stronger than when you have a group of call firefighters.”

• Chief Lay: 40 years
• Captain Kurt Ruchala: 30 years
• Lt. Tracy Gilford: 30 years
• Deputy Fire Chief Kastrinelis: 25 years
• Firefighter William Sheehan: 25 years
• Firefighter Michael Hegh: 25 years
• Captain Brian Greaney: 20 years
• Lt. Richard York: 20 years
• Firefighter Gregory Morse: 20 years

“I’ve had an amazing 40 years working in a profession that allows me to help people and save lives,” Chief Lay said. “All the members of this department who were recognized should be proud of this significant accomplishment.”

Firefighters Stephen Bartolo, Adam Huberdeau and Kristopher Vallone were also recognized for completing the 52nd Massachusetts Firefighting Academy Call/Volunteer Firefighter Recruit Training Program.

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