Suffolk County Medal Day 2004

Firefighter/EMT Nicholas Olenczuk was presented a Class III Bronze Medal by the Vocational Education and Extension Board of the County of Suffolk

Firefighter/EMT Nick Olenczuk (left) with Firefighter/EMT Gerry Zlotkowski.

"...Out on the water that day with me, on another Jet Ski, was Firefighter Nicholas Olenczuk, who witnessed my fall and responded immediately to my location. I told him that I was injured and I had to get back to shore immediately and get to a hospital. I also told him I could not help him get me on the craft he was on, so it was going to be all him..."

"...somehow he found the strength to pull me up from the water and onto the back of the craft. Nick secured me somehow to himself, so that in the event I could not stay on, I was able to use his weight as an anchor to do so..."

"I have no doubt in my mind that the actions of FF Olenczuk, did save my life. He put himself in what I consider to be great personal risk in this situation,..."

"Because of this, I make no mistake to anyone, that my life was saved as a direct result of FF Olenczuk's actions, which I believe were in the best traditions of the fire service and are also a positive reflection of the Nesconset Fire Department as a whole"

FF/EMT Gerard R. Zlotkowski

Nesconset Fire Department

September 4, 2003

in a letter to Chief of Department Edward Swenson

(Webmaster's Note: Both Firefighter Olenczuk and Zlotkowski were wearing Personal Floatation Devices. Without PFD, this would most likely have been reported as a loss of life.)

Members of Nesconset Fire Department at Medal Day

Back Row

FF/EMT F. Larriccio, ExChief/EMT A. Anderson, Commissioner/EMT-CC M. Hollander, Ex-Chief E. Swenson, 3rd Asst. Chief T. Hutchinson, 2nd Asst. Chief M Wichtendahl, FF/EMT N. Olenczuk, 1st Asst. Chief/EMT AJ Anderson, FF/EMT J. Keane, FF/EMT G. Zlotkowski, Capt. L Marra, 1st Lt./EMT W. Brown

Front Row

Commissioner/Ex Chief V. Puleo, FF/Chaplain M. Little, FF/EMT T. Martins, FF/EMT M. Light, 2nd Lt./EMT, JP McCloskey, ExChief G. Anderson G. Anderson, Prob FF J. Hallock

Commissioner Vincent Puleo, 1st Asst. Chief AJ Anderson, 2nd Asst Chief Michael Wichtendahl and Nick Olenczuk

Nick (2nd from left) with his Company Officers 2nd Lt. JP McCloskey, Capt. Larry Marra and 1st Lt. Bill Brown

Congratulations to all recipients of Medals