No matter what time of the year it is, Hoboken always carves out some time to recognize and honor those who keep our community safe. Whether it’s in the form of a parade or an awards ceremony or a shout on social media, the Mile Square does its best to acknowledge every single person that keeps the city up and running. This year, the Hoboken Fire Department honored a number of department heroes who work hard to keep the city safe, and we wanted to share about it. Keep reading to discover more about the local Hudson County heroes recognized at the Hoboken Fire Department Valor Award Ceremony.
{Photo Credit: Jerry Lore via Twitter}
About the Valor Award Ceremony
Held on Wednesday, May 22nd, the Hoboken Fire Department and the City of Hoboken came together to acknowledge + honor members of the community who do noteworthy deeds that serve and help Hoboken. Four members of the Hoboken Fire Department were honored — three received a Certificate of Commendation and one a Level 2 Valor Award.
See More: All About The Hoboken Volunteer Ambulance Corps
Award Winners for 2019
Firefighter Ricardo Bracero
{Photo Credit: Jerry Lore via Twitter}
Firefighter Ricardo Bracero received the Level 2 Valor Award for his valiant actions when responding to a fire on June 7th, 2018 at 732 Willow Avenue. With a woman trapped on the fifth floor of the building, the Battalion Chief told Bracero to confirm the location of the fire.
Without any turnout gear {which would protect Bracero from fire-injury} and by himself, Bracero ran upstairs to confirm the fire and heard calls for help in one of the apartments. He immediately struck down the door with his bare shoulder and entered an apartment with near-zero visibility. Upon gaining entry, he discovered a senior citizen woman laying on the floor and picked her up and carried her down a flight of stairs where he was able to meet other firefighters and, together, they carried the woman to the street to be treated by EMS personnel.
Bracero’s Battalion Chief said of Bracero’s actions that “the combination of [the victim’s] age, head injury, and immobility lead me to believe that the outcome would have been far worse without the quick actions of FF Bracero.” During the May 22nd ceremony, Bracero received the Level 2 Valor Award for his brave actions and quick thinking.
Captain Richard England
Captain Richard England received a Certificate of Commendation for introducing Autism Awareness training to the city and the Hoboken Fire Department and, in turn, making Hoboken a more prepared city. He decided to bring the training classes into the Mile Square after his son was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
He proceeded to bring in the best, most appropriate educators to the fire department team. He also attended the classes on his own time, coordinated a training event for Autism Awareness, and secured seven donation safety kits through Fight 4 Autism, a local charity. The kits are designed to help those with developmental disabilities in the midst of an emergency.
Firefighter Daniel Soto
{Photo Credit: Jerry Lore via Twitter}
Firefighter Daniel Soto received a Certificate of Commendation for his dedication to improving the Hoboken Fire Department despite his own medical problems. Having been to countless doctor appointments in the last three years, Soto makes an effort to be at work as often as possible and consistently stresses the importance of community and teamwork within the department.
As a result of his own medical issues and noteworthy story {which was profiled in a TV commercial for Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital}, he has inspired a slew of new health and safety initiatives within the department — mandatory decontamination of turnout gear, cancer prevention, education, behavioral health training, and new protective equipment.
Read More: Volunteering {in Hoboken}: A List of Organizations that Need Your Help
Firefighter Ralph Eusebio
{Photo credit: Ralph Eusebio via Twitter}
Firefighter Ralph Eusebio received a Certificate of Commendation after organizing a Good Will visit to the Dominican Republic in 2012. As the child of immigrant parents from the island and having visited local firehouses in communities like Boca Chica {where the team didn’t have the proper equipment or training to respond to emergencies}, he planned the first Goodwill Visit.
His first trip was a success, as other Hoboken firefighters and was able to establish + conduct a bilingual training for local first responders. This inspired the planning of a second and third trip years later. Today, he’s raised roughly $3 million dollar’s worth of firefighting equipment to Dominican Republic communities. Among that equipment are an ambulance and seven fire trucks.
Congratulations to all of this year’s winners and nominees! Thank you for keeping Hoboken safe and for all that you do for our community.
Do you know someone who’s done tremendous work for the community? Let us know in the comments!
