Five firefighters from Turners Falls and one from Greenfield have recieved the Group Awards for Meritorious Conduct by Governor Charlie Baker for their work as part of the Western Massachusetts Technical Rescue Team, which responded to a fatality last year.
Turners Falls Fire Chief John Zellmann, Capt. Todd Brunelle, Capt. Peter Jerusik, Capt. Brian McCarthy, and firefighter Walker Korby, as well as Greenfield Lt. Andrew Eisch were part of the team that responded to what became a five-day operation to recover the remains of a 21-year-old man who fell from Bash Bish Falls in Mount Washington, Mass.
Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, Public Safety Secretary Daniel Bennett and Undersecretary Patrick McMurray today joined State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey to honor firefighters from 13 Massachusetts fire departments for heroic acts of bravery at the 29th annual “Firefighter of the Year” Awards ceremony held at Worcester’s Mechanics Hall.
The governor and secretary recognized 91 individuals with 23 awards in total.
“We are incredibly proud to honor these courageous firefighters for their bravery and service to their local communities in times of danger,” said Governor Baker. “Massachusetts cities and towns are better places to live, work and raise a family because so many first responders selflessly answer to call to serve each and every day.”
Zellmann said it is always nice to be recognized, especially by the governor.
“This is a relatively new team and it’s come a long way, they’re a good group of people and they’re good at what they do,” Zellmann said. “We’re the busiest technical rescue team in the state and we have multiple disciplines as well.”
On July 28, 2017, the Western Massachusetts Technical Rescue Team began what became a 5-day operation to recover the remains of a 21-year old man who had fallen from the top of 80-foot Bash Bish Falls, according to Baker’s office.
The effort included several agencies from both Massachusetts and New York.
The victim and his girlfriend had been hiking in a remote area of Mount Washington State Forest when the man fell off and the top of waterfall and swept into a steep ravine.
The initial search operations indicated that it was unlikely he had survived the fall.
The Technical Rescue Team used high angle and swift water rescue techniques aided by a low angle rescue team from New York and underwater cameras to search for and eventually find the victim’s body.
A technically complicated recovery plan, including diverting the water, was made that involved permissions from many agencies, but when the family was notified of the recovery plan, they requested that no further efforts take place. All active recovery efforts were suspended.
Zellmann said it was a very challenging operation because of the terrain, the waterfall with a high volume of water and where the victim’s body was located.
Department of Conservation staff later recovered the body after it became dislodged naturally and caught in netting.