Mayor Randy Casale presents Chase with city certificate of appreciation
BEACON – It was more than just the annual open house day on Saturday
for the Beacon Fire Department.
Fire Chief Gary Van Voorhis named Chase Piotrowski, 7, of Beacon an honorary
fireman.
Young Chase was playing outside his home last Thursday when he spotted
a forest fire and alerted his mother, who called 911. City firefighters
responded immediately and extinguished the 10-foot-high flames.
Chase, who was surprised at receiving a real fireman’s helmet with
his name on it, said the firemen were the real heroes for putting the
fire out.
His mom, Tara; grandfather, Jim O’Brien; brother Jake; and sister
Caitlyn; all stood by proudly as the fire chief placed the helmet on his
head, Mayor Randy Casale presented him with a city proclamation and the
firefighters union gave him an official Beacon fireman’s t-shirt.
The Beacon Fire Department is comprised of career firefighters and volunteers
and Mayor Casale said that perhaps Chase will want to become a fireman
when he grows up.
“A community is only as good as its volunteers and it is getting
harder and harder to attract volunteers to this profession. I urge people
that have time to try to get involved,” he said.
Chief Van Voorhis noted the problem of recruiting volunteers is universal
and not just limited to the City of Beacon.
