Vestal Firemen Honored

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MONTOUR FALLS -- Even when Vestal volunteer firefighter Ken Fortier was being honored as the 2007 New York State Public Fire Safety Educator of the Year, his thoughts were not of himself, but of 9-year-old Rodney Smith II of Binghamton, who was injured April 25 in an apartment fire on the North Side of Binghamton.

 

 

Fortier was honored Saturday morning at the New York State Academy of Fire Science in Montour Falls. The presentation was made during the 35th anniversary of the New York State Public Fire Safety Educators Conference, sponsored by the state Office of Fire Prevention and Control and the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs.

 

Fortier, 53, a member of Vestal Fire Department Station Four for the past 11 years, asked those at the conference to sign a large, homemade get-well card for Rodney. The first to sign the card was state Fire Administrator Floyd Madison of Rochester. Fortier said he would add a large, plush bear to accompany the get-well card.

 

Fortier teaches fire prevention in the Vestal school district. He warns youngsters not to run back into a building on fire, as Rodney did. Rodney, who suffered burns and smoke inhalation, was listed in fair condition Friday at Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse.

 

In his education program, Fortier uses various props. He also has sixth-graders create and illustrate books about fire safety and then read them to younger school-children. It's a program called Reading Buddies, now in its third year at the middle school.

 

Fortier was the 13th person or organization to win the conference's showcase award. The first award was presented in 1995.