Those who served during Sandy honored

By Neil Schulman
Long Branch — Before, during and after the worst natural disaster the Jersey shore had ever seen, many people served to help those in distress.

On Thursday, the Office of Emergency Management held an awards ceremony to honor the firefighters, first aid squad members, businesses and others who rose to the occasion during Superstorm Sandy.

The events of October 29, 2012, and the weeks afterward, have become indelible memories, Mayor Adam Schneider said. He was first told that a dangerous storm could be approaching a week earlier, on Oct. 23. He didn’t know the details, but was told the information had been forwarded to the Office of Emergency Management.

“I was smart enough to say, if the notice went to our OEM, we’ll be okay,” Schneider recalled. “I knew we’d be ready.… What I couldn’t imagine was the extent of the storm.”
Before Sandy, he always compared storms to the 1992 nor’easter, which had brought the most flooding to the city.

“We hit that flood level at low tide,” Schneider recalled.
But  the police, firefighters, first aid workers, and a host of others rose to the occasion, during Sandy and afterward. There was no looting, people obeyed the curfew, and many businesses and volunteers came to help those who had lost their homes, some of who were dealing with major losses themselves.
People from around the nation chipped in.

“I can remember nights when our streets were patrolled by cops from Mississippi,” Schneider said.
Public Safety Director Jason Roebuck said that he realized the extent of Sandy early that morning, when a man said his family was trapped in a house and he needed help to get them out.
“I said there’s no way the water’s that high on Sixth Avenue at 10:30 in the morning,” Roebuck recalled. But when he went there, he saw the water was almost up to his chin, and the tides hadn’t even risen yet.

Police had to move out of their City Hall headquarters later that day, and spent the next two weeks at the fire headquarters on Union Avenue. While they were there, Roebuck said he was amazed by the volunteers putting in 12-16 hour shifts.
Those volunteers included elected officials. The mayor and five council members were there every day.

“Leadership starts at the top. Everyone sees what the leaders do,” Roebuck said.
“Every day, for 16 hours a day… you saw the mayor and council there,” he said. “Handing out ice. Handing out food. Doing whatever they had to do. Some of them didn’t have a house to go back to.”
Long Branch Fire Chief Anthony Ciaglia said that in the two weeks following the storm, firefighters responded to 500 calls. They stayed at the firehouse, ready to respond at any time.
“These men slept in firehouses on couches, on chairs, sometimes even on the flood, without electricity,” he said. “The men and women that are being honored here tonight gave their all.”

Business awards

Before honoring the first responders, the city issued certificates to businesses and individuals who helped during Sandy, providing food, ice, clothes, and other necessities.

Schneider presented certificates to the Long Branch Board of Education, Chabad of the Shore, Charley’s Ocean Grill, Culinary Education Center of Monmouth County, Draft House, Dutch Prime Meats, Fine Fare, Sam Haddad, Holiday Meats of New Jersey, Ice King and Cold Storage, Jack’s Goal Line Stand, Kiely Equipment Company, Ocean Place Resort, Rockafellers, Rook Coffee, Rooney’s Crab House, Scala’s Pizza, Shoprite of West Long Branch, Stop N Shop of West End, Traeger Pellet Grills, Tuzzio’s Italian Cuisine, Wennings Wholesale Meats, and the Windmill.

Commendable Service
The City of Long Branch and Uniformed Firefighters Association recognized  seven people with the Commendable Service honor, the highest of the awards they gave. These members were recognized for their leadership and the technical support they presented.
They included OEM Director Stan Dziuba, Deputy OEM Director Carl Griffin, Public Works Director Fred Migliaccio, (then) First Assistant Chief Angelo Ciaglia, Fire Official Kevin Hayes, and Radio/Dispatch coordinators Firefighter Robert Pasquariello (Asbury Park FD) and Chief Ronald Guidetti (Picatinney Arsenal).

Commendable Service
These awards were given to groups who distinguished themselves while protecting life and property.
Neptune Fire Company: Brad Levitzki, Stefan Oliver, Andrew DeChiara
Oceanic Fire Company: Andrew Spiezio, Steven Spiezio, Ariennio Cruz, Tim Nudd, Carrlie Johangtgen

Fire Prevention Inspectors: Sal Merkel, Greg Pappylou
Uniformed Fire Division Tour #1: Capt. Joseph Johnson, Lt. Douglas Rowell, James Cook, Joseph Gray, Henry Cioffi
Uniformed Fire Division Tour #2: Lt. Timothy Somers, Alfred Guzzi, Thomas Fleming, Robert Kreuz, Timothy Griffin
Uniformed Fire Division Tour #3: Lt. Thomas McGlennon, James Parnell, Edward Barham, Kerin Slattery, Larry Fornicola.
Uniformed Fire Division Tour #4: Lt. Jason Smuro, Edward Rogers, Ronald Cattelona, Mark Garced
Atlantic Fire Company: Stephen Pejakovich, Frankie Harris, Ryan Czeslaw, Michael Ciaglia
Independent Fire Co.: Lee Durland, Kenny Banach Jr.

Service Participation Awards
Long Branch First Aid Squad: Dave Beyda, Jenna Cannon, Tom Delgaudi, Billy Goldberg, Samier Goyal, Matt Halsey, Joseph Paulson, Roberto Roman Lopez, Jason Schnitzer, Judi Scibetti, Phil Specchio
Elberon First Aid Squad: Brian Rose, Frank Rose, Paul Robinson, David Belhassen, April Woods
Atlantic Fire Co.: Fred Migliaccio, Stephen Pejakovich, Frankie Harris, Michael Ciaglia, Ryan Czeslaw, Anthony Giurlando Jr., Angelo Ciaglia
Branchport Fire Co.: Harold Bentley, John Johnson, Steve Lepper
Elberon Fire Company: Patrick Gleason, Pete Gray, Joe Piscitelli, Shawn Rau, Jonathan Ryan, Sam Sitt, Robert Tillis, Brian Williams, Patrick Williams
Independent Fire Co.: Antonio Lombardo, Maximo Arce, Maximo Arce Jr., Lee Durland, Jonathan Valez Bey, Ken Banach Jr., Robert Pasquariello
Neptune Fire Co.: Brad Levitsky, Stefen Oliver, Andrew DiChara, Sal Merkel, Greg Papplou
Oceanic Fire Co.: Andrew Spiezio, Steven Spiezio, Ariennio Cruz, Tim Nudd, Carlie Johantgen, Joe Ramsey, Joe Grasso, Jose Mandera
Oliver Byron Fire Co.: Ronald Guidetti, Robert Kenny, Stanley Dziuba
Phil Daly Fire Co.: Wilfred Acevedo, Louis Vamvas, Dave Russick, Al Chesney, George Colbert
West End Fire Co.: Kevin Hayes, Justin Brand, Brian Budd, Jenn Budd, Jaun Peirano, Joseph Sirianni
Uniformed Division: Joseph Johnson, Thomas McGlennon, Edward Rogers, Douglas Rowell, James Parnell, Edward Barham, Thomas Fleming, Robert Kreuz, Tim Somers, Jason Smuro, James Cook, Alfred Guzzi, Ronald Cattelona, Henry Cioffi, Carl Griffin, Kieran Slattery, Joseph Gray, Tim Griffin, Mark Garced, Lawrence Fornicola