Past Fort Lee Fire Chiefs Honored at Brunch

Just under 1,000 years of service to the was represented Sunday at the Fort Lee Recreation Center on Stillwell Ave.

About 30 former fire chiefs and current officers were honored at a brunch organized by current Fort Lee Fire Chief Jeff Silver in recognition of their years of dedication and service to the people of Fort Lee. 

"I think the oldest year that we have represented would be 1964," Silver told Patch. "It’s just a way of saying, listen, we know you’re not active anymore, we appreciate your service to the department and the town, and we haven’t forgotten."

Silver add that the fire department also hosted the brunch "so everyone can meet each other because some of us never served with the older chiefs of the department."

He noted that some of those honored Sunday are in fact very much still active.

"We have quite a lot in our officer corps. that are actually ex-chiefs that are officers this year," Silver said.

Collectively, these men have run out on more family dinners, more holidays, more birthday parties and date nights than their families care to recount. 

These are the men who in the middle of the night, through driving rain, sub-zero temperatures, and scorching heat waves, have jumped out of bed to answer every odd-hour call for no money. 

These are the men who leapt onto moving firetrucks, or ran to grab the outstretched hands of a brother to be hoisted onto the truck, as it sped down Main Street, Lemoine Ave., or Anderson Ave. to answer a call.

These are the men who fought fires before fire codes required advanced warning systems such as smoke detectors and sprinkler systems.

These are the men whose hands, necks and faces are tattooed with burns; that’s how close to the fires they got.

These are the men who lived for working fires, and then went to work to make a living. 

These are the men who day after day, night after night, year after year, have served the community of Fort Lee proudly and honorably.

Below is a rundown of all the past fire chiefs (and the years they served) and current officers in attendance Sunday:

• Lino Boccher, 1964           
• Lester Ghent Jr., 1967
• George Makroulakis, 1976           
• Robert Perelli, 1977           
• George Porto, 1978           
• Bruce Holtje, 1979           
• Thomas Bernard, 1980           
• George Kreis, 1981           
• Richard Radoian, 1982           
• Wayne Reisefield, 1983           
• Steven Curry, 1985           
• Gerald Keegan, 1986           
• Robert Cullen, 1987           
• John Pascale, 1990           
• John Klein, 1992           
• James Piccirillo, 1993           
• Peter Menchise, 1994           
• Joseph Cariddi, 1997           
• Richard Onufrey, 1999           
• Gary Krautmann, 2000           
• Michael DeGidio, 2001           
• Corey Parker, 2005           
• Stephen Richter, 2006           
• Jeff Bernard, 2008           
• Steve Curry, 2009           
• William Chiappane, 2010           
• Jeffrey Silver, 2011           
• Keith Sabatino, 2012 (Chief Elect)

2011 Officers                                                           

• Jeffrey Silver, 2011 (Chief of Department)
• Keith Sabatino, 2011 (Deputy Chief)
• Mark Sulcov, 2011 (Battalion Chief)
• Bruce Holtje, 2011 (Captain)
• Chris Ipek, 2011 (1st Lieutenant)
• Tom Piper, 2011 (2nd Lieutenant)
• Gary Krautmann, 2011 (Captain)
• Don Sauvageot, 2011 (2nd Lieutenant)
• Lane Goldstein, 2011 (Captain)
• Bryan Drumgoole, 2011 (1st Lieutenant)
• John Pascale, 2011 (Captain)
• Steve Piccinich, 2011 (1st Lieutenant)
• Chris Richter, 2011 (2nd Lieutenant)
• Cyndi Vida (Fire Department Secretary)