Officials honor firefighters
WEST MILFORD. Legislators recognize Christopher Franek, an assistant division firewarden who served as incident commander for the Jennings Creek wildfires.
| 19 Feb 2025 | 08:30
Assemblyman Christian Barranco and Assemblywoman Aura Dunn, both R-25, thank Christopher Franek, assistant division firewarden with the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. He was the incident commander during the Jennings Creek wildfires last fall. (Photos by Fred Ashplant)
Mayor Michele Dale honors West Milford’s firefighters and other first-responders for their work during the wildfires.
Councilman Dave Marsden, right, thanks volunteers who assisted the effort to contain the wildfires.
Christopher Franek, assistant division firewarden with the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, speaks during the meeting.
Mayor Michele Dale honors West Milford’s firefighters and other first-responders for their work during the wildfires.
Assemblywoman Aura Dunn speaks during the presentation.
State Assemblyman Christian Barranco speaks during the presentation.
From left are state Assemblyman Christian Barranco; Assemblywoman Aura Dunn; Christopher Franek, assistant division firewarden with the New Jersey Forest Fire Service; and West Milford Mayor Michele Dale.
Residents fill the council meeting room Wednesday, Feb. 12.
State and local officials honored firefighters and other first-responders who fought the Jennings Creek wildfires for two weeks last fall at the Township Council meeting Wednesday, Feb. 12.
Assemblyman Christian Barranco and Assemblywoman Aura Dunn, both R-25, presented a proclamation from the state Legislature to Christopher Franek, assistant division firewarden with the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.
He served as incident commander for those wildfires, which burned more than 5,300 acres in New York and New Jersey. Dariel Vasquez, an 18-year-old New York state parks employee, died when a tree fell on him Nov. 9 as he battled a major brush fire in Sterling Forest.
“What you did was nothing short of heroic,” Dunn told Franek. “Communications is truly what saves lives. And the swift, clear communications that you provided to the team and led with integrity and a team that could trust in you ... . You bring such distinction to our entire state.”
Mayor Michele Dale called Franek “the brains behind the entire operation and made sure that we were all able to work together and control the fire as quickly as we possibly could.”
According to the proclamation, “As a result of Christopher Franek’s strategic management and thorough communication with participating agencies, the New Jersey State Forest Fire Service’s response was highly effective and resulted in the containment of the blaze - an outcome that prevented further devastation here in the Garden State and in neighboring New York.”
In addition, it says, “The swift and decisive action of Christopher Franek and his resolute endeavors to safeguard our communities have earned for him the respect and admiration of this Legislature and the appreciation of a grateful citizenry.
”In all spheres, Christopher Franek has provided a model worthy of emulation and set a standard toward which others might strive.”
Franek said, “It was a full team effort,” and he thanked his colleagues and West Milford firefighters, first-responders, volunteers and officials.
”West Milford Fire, thank you for all the support and all the effort you guys put in. It was many long hours and I loved their team effort,” he said.
”CERT (Community Emergency Response Team), thank you for being there, securing the area, making sure our resources and supplies were put out there. And EMS supporting all of us out there.”
Dale also presented certificates to all six township volunteer fire companies, West Milford First Aid Squad, the township Office of Emergency Management, Search & Rescue team and CERT.
Councilman Dave Marsden, a member of the Search & Rescue team and of CERT, said, “I’m so proud of the volunteers in our town. ... It’s just a wonderful thing to see the town come together.”