March 26, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 5 Wyckoff Engine Company #3 wins annual competitive inspection by John Koster Wyckoff’s Sicomac Engine Company #3 has won the township’s 55 th Annual Fire Department Inspection Contest. The inspection of all three companies of the Wyckoff Volunteer Fire Depart- ment took place March 14 and an awards ceremony was held the following day. The Wyckoff Township Committee congratulated the firefighters and Deputy Chief Andrew Forsyth on winning the inspection. The Wyckoff Fire Depart- ment is the only fire department in the State of New Jersey that conducts inspec- tions of the condition of its fire apparatus and submits the firefighting knowledge of its volunteers to the evaluation of outside experts. “The inspection is an intense compe- tition among Wyckoff’s three fire com- panies,” Wyckoff Fire Chief Lou Graglia said. He explained that the firefighters pre- pare by servicing, cleaning, and revamp- ing the firefighting equipment two nights a week for six to seven weeks prior to the inspection, and every night for the final two weeks before the inspection. The firefighters also study procedures and policies in order to pass the oral examina- tions and respond to the various potential firefighting scenarios presented by the inspectors. A panel of independent firefighting experts tested the Wyckoff firefighters’ knowledge and inspected each compa- ny’s trucks and equipment. The judges included Deputy Chief Stephen Kalman of the Hackensack Fire Department; Inspec- tor James Dougherty, former department chief in Ramsey; John Tobin, a lieuten- ant in FDNY Rescue #1; Gregg Carriddi, department chief of the Edgewater Fire Department; and Al Evangelista, director of the Passaic County Fire Academy and former department chief of the Pompton Lakes Fire Department. Sicomac Engine Company #3 is located at 428 Sicomac Avenue. Protection Com- pany #1 is located behind Wyckoff Town Hall, and Community Engine Company #2 is located at 180 Wyckoff Avenue. Graglia emphasized that the annual contest provides an opportunity for the fire department to ensure that the town- ship’s firefighting equipment is in the best possible condition by conducting a thorough review of the fire trucks, equip- ment, and the knowledge of the officers, drivers, and firefighters of all three fire companies. The department also noted that Fire- fighters Evan Costanza and Warren Brickman recently completed the Fire- fighter I course at the Bergen County Fire Academy, and that Firefighters Matt Tani, Sean McGirr, Jimmy Viapiano, Stephen Kopshaw, and William Pettit completed the Firefighter II course. Awards for five years of service were presented to Lt. Matt Capomaggi, Lt. Brian DeHaas, Lt. Chris Joachim, Chris Charnesky, Michael Schel,l and Melissa Gettleman. Awards for 10 years of service went to Mark Tanucilli, Will Neuenhaus, and Jake Miller. Fifteen-year service awards were given to Kelly Brock, Kent Goldsmith, Tom Kelly, and Chris Love. Former Deputy Chief Carl Koffler of Company #1 and Firefighters Joe Alva- rez and Carl Fry received 25-year awards. Former Company #1 Deputy Chief John Ciampo received a 30-year service award. Firefighters Bill Brock, Fred Mazzilli, and Jerry Valenti received 40-year service awards. Firefighter Ray Hopf received a 60-year award. Lt. Michael LaBarck, Deputy Chief Andrew Forsyth, Captain Matthew Tani and Battalion Chief Aaron Gettleman (from Sicomac Engine Company #3)