General

Cops and firefighters in the limelight

April 29, 2013 Helen Klein

BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photo by Helen Klein

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As they do each year, members of the Bay Ridge Community Council set aside their April meeting to honor those who help to keep us safe.

This year, the honorees were members of Engine Company 241 for their efforts in helping to save a womans life; Sergeant Christopher McGibbon of the 68^th Precinct for his pivotal role in helping to solve crimes that had occurred in the community; and Auxiliary Police Officer Erion Vincani, who has been an exemplary and dedicated volunteer.

The five firefighters honored were Lieutenant Paul Medordi, Firefighter Matthew Carroll, Firefighter Matthew Monohan, Firefighter Mark Rodriguez and Firefighter Christopher Serra, who responded to a call in February of a woman having trouble breathing. She had stopped breathing and had no pulse when they arrived at her home. They responded by administering CPR and utilizing a defibrillator, and succeeded in reviving her.

As public servants, we strive to serve and protect our local community, noted Medordi, adding, Speaking for myself and my fellow firefighters here today, we do this job not for the recognition but because we genuinely love working for the New York City Fire Department and strive to make our community a safe place to live and work.

As for McGibbon, among his accomplishments as the precincts anti-crime supervisor and now as the precinct field intelligence sergeant were apprehending a rapist, a perpetrator wanted for 48 burglaries and assist[ing] in the apprehension of the recent serial killer preying on small storeowners, said BRCCs Irene Hanvey, who took the stage to help make the presentations.

Chris is our go-to person, added Captain Richard DiBlasio, the precinct commander, who added that McGibbon does a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff. He has been involved in recovering peoples stolen cars within half a day or sometimes half an hour, and has apprehended individuals in the process of or right after committing burglaries with the goods in their hands.

With respect to Vincani, he has, said Hanvey, put in, over 1,000 hours of his time at events ranging from parades, street festivals and routine patrols within the 68^th Precinct, since joining the precincts auxiliary unit in April, 2012. He received the Auxiliary of the Month Award in September, 2012, the same month he held find a lost child.

In a month, he did the required hours for an entire year, to contribute to the quality of life in Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and Fort Hamilton, said DiBlasio. Vincani helped out in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy as well as after the sinkhole formed on 92^nd Street, he added.