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EAST WINDSOR: Township recognizes firefighters

Longtime court administrator retires

By Amy Batista, Special Writer
   EAST WINDSOR — National Fire Prevention Week is being recognized from Oct. 7 to Oct. 13.
   In honor of it, the East Windsor council members and Mayor Janice Mironov presented two Firefighters of the Year awards, recognizing someone from each of the township’s two volunteer fire companies.
   The Tuesday night meeting was filled to standing room only with family members and fellow firefighters who came out to support firefighter Jim McCann, of the East Windsor Volunteer Fire Company No.1 and firefighter Eric Coran, of the East Windsor Volunteer Fire Co. No. 2. Both men were selected by their fire chiefs to receive these proclamations.
   ”I’m glad to see so many of our two companies out,” said Mayor Mironov on Oct. 2. “This gives me a chance to personally thank all of you . . . You do a great job . . . It really is a blessing to have you.”
   There was round of applause.
   As for those honored with a Firefighter of the Year recognition, she said, “That means that these are individuals who have especially committed themselves to firefighting, who have risen to the top, so as to be recognized by their peers within the department for demonstrating extraordinary service and commitment, tremendous special achievements within the department or excellence leadership within the department over a period of time. And among all the great people in the Fire Department, they have been chosen out over the course of the past year for the special recognition and for the special label, Firefighter of the Year.”
   Mr. McCann, a deputy chief, joined East Windsor Volunteer Fire Co. No.1 in 1997 where he has volunteered for the past 15 years and has held numerous positions. He also has been active in a number of firefighting organizations throughout the county and state.
   ”Jim was appointed as the director of the Mercer County Fire Academy where he works directly with Mercer County Community College in organizing the curriculum for the firefighters of Mercer County and the surrounding area,” Mayor Mironov said. “He is also one of the Mercer County fire coordinators who leads the other companies throughout the county in the event of an emergency or a catastrophe that requires that type of unity.”
   Mayor Mironov said, “Jim is truly a firefighter’s firefighter and has done an outstanding service for our community and to the region.”
   East Windsor Volunteer Fire Co. No.1 Chief Kevin Brink said, “I couldn’t be more proud of having members like Jim,” he said. “And, like the mayor said, Jim had climbed through the ranks, and he stays in those positions and helped the company grow and prosper.”
   Mr. McCann said, “We’ve made our fire company a great place for our community to be proud of.”
   Mr. McCann also thanked his wife and children for their support.
   The second man honored as a Firefighter of the Year, Mr. Coran, is a deputy chief with East Windsor Volunteer Fire Co. No. 2, which he joined in1996. He has served in several positions in the department.
   ”I think the statistics speak volumes in terms of Eric’s commitment and the amount of time that he gives to firefighting,” Mayor Mironov said. “He has attended 400 training drills as well 253 community events, fire prevention activities, and he takes and active leadership role in firefighter training and fire company communications and the maintenance of the equipment.”
   ”Eric has been a tremendous assets to the company,” said Chief Barry Rashkin of Fire Co. No. 2.”He has taken the role of leadership for the younger firefighters and helps them out whenever they need any assistance. He’s always there when I need him.”
   Mr. Coran told the Herald on Oct. 3, “It was truly an honor to receive the award. I did not expect it.”
   He added, “My neighbor used to be a member, and when I was young, he used to bring me down to the firehouse, and I really enjoyed being there. (The) only issue was, I was only 13. So I started coming around and hanging out and helping out, and one of the fire officers at the time requested the company change the Constitution from joining at 16 to 14 to allow me to join.”
   The National Fire Protection Association campaign this year, “Have Two Ways Out,” focuses on the importance of fire escape planning and practice.
   Fire Prevention Week was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 that killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned across more than 2,000 acres, according to the NFPA’s website.
   In 2011, there were 1,389,500 fires reported in the United States, according to the NFPA. These fires caused 3,005 civilian deaths, 17,500 civilian injuries and $11.7 billion in property damage.
   According to NFPA, the 2011 U.S. fire loss clock was as follows:
   • A fire department responded to a fire every 23 seconds.
   • One structure fire was reported every 65 seconds.
   • One home structure fire was reported every 85 seconds.
   • One civilian fire injury was reported every 30 minutes.
   • One civilian fire death occurred every two hours and 55 minutes.
   • One outside fire was reported every 46 seconds.
   • One vehicle fire was reported every 144 seconds.
   In other news, after more than 23 years of employment with East Windsor Township, Donna Suk has retired as the Municipal Court clerk.
   ”It’s happy and sad,” Mayor Mironov said. “I say it’s happy and sad because (of) the decision that Donna has made after many years with East Windsor Township and one that, hopefully, she will be happy with and find a great many thing to fill her time and give her pleasure and bring fulfillment even as she misses us. It’s sad for us because we are losing somebody who has really done an outstanding job and has been an extraordinary, dedicated employee to East Windsor Township.”
   Ms. Suk began with the Municipal Court as a senior account clerk in February 1989 and was promoted Feb. 1, 1994, to deputy Municipal Court administrator, according to Mayor Mironov.
   The mayor added, “Donna has done an extraordinary job in ensuring that the court is well run and managed . . . She is especially sensitive to the challenges we have as elected officials and as citizens in terms as the finances and taxes and has always been sensitive to how she goes about running the court in tracking the income that is generated in the operations.”
   Mayor Mironov recognized Ms. Suk and Claudia Rosenberg, deputy court administrator, as well as other staff for their recent efforts in the renovations to the Municipal Court.
   The mayor said of Ms. Suck, “It is going to leave a tremendous gap in the municipal operations for Donna to move on. We are going to miss her very much.”
   Municipal Court Judge James Stahl said, “Donna is an extraordinary person. She worked so hard, and she was fiery, but that was her passion; that’s how she got things done.”
   ”Thank you very much,” Ms. Suk said. “I’m gonna miss everybody.”
   Also Tuesday, Boy Scout Mitchell Nicklaus, of Troop 5700, presented his Eagle Scout project to build an old-fashioned style scoreboard at the Disbrow Hill Road. The council unanimously approved the project in a 6-0 vote.
   Additionally, Mayor Mironov said G.E.T. Our Money Back, a citizen taxpayer group, will be co-hosting a forum with East Windsor Township at the East Windsor Senior Center on Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. on restoration of energy tax receipts.
   Mayor Mironov will be participating in the forum along with other area officials.
   ”It is another opportunity to underscore and highlight the injustice that continues to defer with the state that uses money that belongs to the municipalities and to our property taxpayers and plugs holes in the state budget,” Mayor Mironov said.