The Mineola Junior Fire Department recently held its annual Installation of Officers ceremony at village hall. During the ceremony, Mayor Scott Strauss swore in Lieutenants Domingos DaSiva, David Mulder and David Battista as well as Captain John Lodogheit. Toward the end of the night, it was announced that Mulder was chosen as Junior Firefighter of the Year.
“I didn’t know I was nominated for Junior Firefighter of the Year until the night of the Mineola Junior Fire Department Installation Dinner when they announced it,” said Mulder, who is a member of Boy Scout Troop 45 and a resident of Mineola. “When I found out that I was Junior Firefighter of the Year I was proud of my accomplishments throughout the years of the fire department.”
Interestingly enough, Mulder became a junior firefighter after hearing about being one from a couple of his friends.
“I wanted to become a junior firefighter because I wanted to explore the field of the fire service and continue to serve the community too,” said Mulder, who plans to join the Mineola Volunteer Fire Department and become a police officer or firefighter when he gets older.
One of Mulder’s favorite parts about being a part of the village’s junior fire department is the fire service trainings that are held every Sunday morning and Monday night. Not only does Mulder learn new training techniques, but he and his fellow firefighters do a lot of positive things for the community as well by helping out both the village’s annual Halloween Party and Christmas tree lighting.
“We also donate money to various causes and once a year we go to the Firemen’s Home in Hudson and make a donation to the home to help for the cost of the residents,” explained Mulder.
According to the department, Mulder has shown greater leadership and dedication to the organization as well as being a responsible member and popular among the other firefighters and his advisors.
At the ceremony, junior firefighter Nick Tavares also received the Walter Langer Scholarship Award, which was presented to him by the late ex-chief’s wife Janet Langer and his daughter Loretta Langer Fromes. Tavares, who is a senior at Mineola High School, will be entering the U.S. Marines and received a full scholarship to Penn State University.
—Additional information provided by the Mineola Fire Department
