Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Lieutenant Archie Paloian was presented an award of merit by the Connecticut State Firefighters Association, September 21 at West Haven High School. A fellow Sandy Hook line officer was elected an officer of the statewide organization.

Paloian received the Citation For Meritorious Service in recognition of “rendering a service beyond the ordinary course of duty.” On July 14, Paloian was the first to arrive at a home on Alpine Drive, where an elderly woman was unable to get out on her own while a fire burned around her. Paloian got the woman out of the home, and then returned with a fire extinguisher and knocked down the worst of the fire.

The woman was then transported to the burn unit at Bridgeport Hospital. Local officials learned later in the day she had succumbed to her wounds.

CSFA said Paloian’s quick work that morning lessened the injuries of two other women in the home at the time. His actions also saved the home from complete destruction, it was noted during the presentation of the award.

Sandy Hook VFR Chief Anthony Capozziello was among those with Paloian when the award was presented on Saturday.

Awards of Merit were also presented to a group of West Haven firefighters and police officers who helped save twin toddlers from being drowned by their father in February, and Orange Volunteer Fire Department Chaplain and Firefighter Tom Bartiss, who with another bystander performed CPR on a boy who had collapsed near a pool while Bartiss was vacationing in Cancun earlier this year.

CSFA Second Vice President

The Business Session of the 141st CSFA Convention last weekend also included the election of officers for 2024-25.

Karin Halstead, EMS Captain and Treasurer of Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company, was elected Second Vice President.

Additional officers for the upcoming year include Glenn Clark (Thomaston), president; Timothy S. Wall (North Farms), first vice president; Gerald V. Schaffer (Mansfield Center), secretary; and William Coffey (Danbury), treasurer.

The Connecticut State Firefighters Association is a nonprofit organization that has more than 26,000 members including 22,000 volunteer firefighters and 4,400 career firefighters. CSFA is the focal organization for Connecticut’s fire service members in matters relating to federal and state legislative initiatives, firefighter death and disability benefit claims and the exchange of pertinent information.

CSFA coordinates with the various fire service organizations at the national, state and regional levels.