2014 Sonny Chung Memorial Softball Game – 6/29/14

June 29, 2014 – Members of the Gates, NY Police and Fire Departments faced off on the softball diamond once again to honor the memory of a fallen brother. In addition to the police and fire teams, Gates Ambulance fielded a squad, along with a combination team of the public safety wives. The event raised over $1,400 towards the education of the Chung children.

The top-billed game between Police and Fire came down to an exciting finish as the PD was able to pull off a 7-run rally in the final inning and walk away with a one-run victory. A base hit into the outfield by Officer John Ossichuck drove in the winning run, Investigator Sue O’Mara, from second base. This was the first victory in three attempts for the PD.

Sonny Chung was a Gates Police Officer who was forced to medically retire following an on-duty crash while responding to a call in 2002. Sadly, a second accident claimed his life in early 2012.

More photos of the action – http://bit.ly/VRlQs8
Photos from the 2012 game – http://bit.ly/1xDJYfb

Here is a YouTube video by Joe S that I came across. It is dedicated to the life and career of Officer Chung – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzeuc1Pp1eo

WWFD Sign Dedication

April 15, 2013 – The Badge of Honor Association hosted a ceremony dedicating two signs to the West Webster firefighters who were killed while responding to a house fire on December 24, 2012. Firefighter Mike Chiapperini, also a Webster Police Lieutenant, and Firefighter Tomasz Kaczowka, a Monroe County Fire Dispatcher, were gunned down as they stepped off the engine to begin a fire attack. For more photos – http://bit.ly/Zb4cyx

Photos of the week – February 24

The February 24th installment of Photos of the Week is only a few weeks late. Things have been staying busy here with not only my ‘day job’ but also home renovations and, perhaps most excitedly, my photography and design business! Tomorrow I will walking around downtown Rochester taking pictures of the St. Patrick’s Day parade and associated festivities. This is the first time in three years that I’ll be here as the last two years I was in Washington, D.C. and Savannah, GA. I’m excited enough that I even designed a business card just for the occasion. If you take part wherever you are, be safe and don’t overdo it (too much).

32/365 – Tomasz
February 24th. Exactly two months since two West Webster firefighters were murdered and two others were shot when they responded to a vehicle and house fire on Christmas Eve morning. This is a photo of the sticker on my firehouse locker honoring FF Tomasz Kaczowka, who was just 19 years old.

33/365 – Cappy 757
A Boeing 757 flown by Capital Cargo International Airlines takes off from ROC on February 25th. This shot was tough to capture given how dark it was but thanks to a great camera (and a timely flash by a nav light) you can see the plane amidst a slight panning effect.

34/365 – Helmet
More experimentation with the in-camera HDR. I have to admit I think it creates a great effect on some photos but its use by everyone with a camera lately turns me off a bit. In order to expand my horizons as a photographer though, I have been ‘cheating’ and playing around with the in-camera settings just to see what I end up with.

35/365 – The Deuce
A 30-second exposure of Rescue 2, a 2009 E-One Typhoon fire engine in service with the Greater Rochester International Airport Fire Department.

36/365 – Feeding Time
I had lunch with my brother on day 36 and since I was in the area, I thought I would check out the old Russell Station Power Plant and adjacent Slater Creek Fishing Access site to try to get my picture of the day. While I did get several of the plant that I felt were upload worthy, this picture of a swan searching for a snack while a bunch of Canada Geese pecked at the grass in the background was the ‘winner’.

37/365 – Flashing
Playing around with my new flash unit. Having never used an adjustable hot shoe flash before, I wanted to see how it would bounce off the side of a fire truck and reflect on bunker gear (anyone who has shot a fire scene before knows how difficult using flash can be with all the reflective material around). These photos were taken with the light in four different positions (L to R – straight on diffused, upper left, lower middle, and lower right) and you can see the different effect each position has. Not a bad introduction for me, now the sky is the limit! I also added the ‘wood’ frame in Photoshop.

38/365 – PFFFT!
Every once in a while when you’re sorting photos, you realize you’ve captured a moment in the heat of the action that you could not have planned. Every photographer possesses this skill (pure unadulterated luck!). I was simply taking some pictures of the girls playing on the patio and managed to catch Pepper taunting Bella a bit. Many of the photos my sweet puppies look absolutely vicious in, but this is too cute to not choose as my photo for day #38. This was a difficult day to properly expose two black dogs as the sun was shining harshly onto a  fresh coating of snow through a thin layer of clouds. Many of the shots were either over or underexposed a touch and required a bit more editing than I typically like to do. (Note: If you don’t see the awesomeness of this shot, look for a tongue)

7/365 – Hang it up!

As mentioned in my previous post, the last month or so has seen me wear my ‘Class A’ uniform on several occasions. It’s not especially uncomfortable and it certainly looks nice, but with the exception of parade season, there is typically some sort of tragedy associated with wearing it.

After many of us received our uniforms a couple of years ago I began working on the creation of an Honor Guard, with its primary purpose being the number of military returns we have participated in over the last few years. Our first ‘event’ was presenting the colors for both days of the 2011 air show, but we have since had a formal presence at the return of nearly every local service member who has been KIA (since approximately 2006-07 we have parked our apparatus for the ramp side service).

The latest of these ceremonies was for a Brockport native, Army Staff Sergeant Nicholas Reid. SSgt. Reid was just 26 years old when he was wounded and ultimately succumbed to his injuries four days later on December 13, 2012. His final voyage home was scheduled for December 26th and we began our planning to ensure our members were there.

Early Christmas Eve morning, West Webster firefighters were ambushed while responding to a fire resulting in two members being killed and two others seriously injured. 43-year-old Mike ‘Chip’ Chiapperini was a Lieutenant with the Webster PD, and 19-year-old Tomasz Kaczowka was a Fire Dispatcher at the Monroe County 911 Center. Both were killed at the scene. I attended the calling hours for both men on December 29th and the funeral service for Chip on the 30th with members of my department. Tomasz’s funeral was held on December 31st and I attended with his fellow 911 employees, one of whom is my wife.

Hoping that was it for a while, we made it three weeks into 2013 before the first reported firefighter line of duty death occurred just two and a half hours away. Owego, NY Fire Captain Matthew Porcari and Lt. Daniel Gavin were operating at a mutual aid house fire in Newark Valley when the floor below them gave way, sending Capt. Porcari into the basement. Several crews worked feverishly to get him out, including the already injured Lt. Gavin, and he was eventually transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. As I wrote a few days ago, three of us travelled the roughly 160 miles to attend his funeral service on January 27th.

So as you can see, the uniform has gotten some use unfortunately. With photo number 87, I attach my sincere hope that it stay right where it is for the foreseeable future!

 

6/365 – Capt. Matthew Porcari

Yesterday, for the third time in a month I attended a funeral for a firefighter who was killed in the line of duty. Last month was the funerals of West Webster firefighters Michael ‘Chip’ Chiapperini and Tomasz Kaczowka, who were murdered while responding to a fire on Christmas Eve. Yesterday was the funeral for 34 year old Owego, NY Fire Capt. Matthew Porcari, who was killed while fighting a house fire in Newark Valley when the floor collapsed. Also injured in that fire was Porcari’s close friend, Lieutenant Daniel Gavin.

Three members of my department made the two and a half hour journey from Rochester to Owego to attend the service. After meeting my wife for breakfast prior to leaving, we were all shocked to discover that someone had already taken care of our bill. Whoever that person is, we all truly appreciated your gesture. Thank you!

Rolling into Owego you really get the impression of a quaint little town on the banks of the Susquehanna River. Zigzagging through town to the school where the funeral was being held there were the familiar signs of a community in mourning everywhere; flags at half staff, signs of support, and bunting on the fire stations. The route was very well marked with directional signs and when you got close to the school there were fire police directing traffic all the way to your parking spot. Fire apparatus lined both sides of the road, and hundreds of firefighters from all over North America were once again present including some from Ottawa, Canada and Los Angeles, CA.

The service itself was beautiful as friends and family told stories about Matt, who left behind a wife and two children. The stage in the school’s auditorium was filled from one side to the other with flowers, and a lone bagpiper played as Matt’s family was escorted to their seats. One of the tougher moments came when his daughter showed incredible bravery by going up on stage to read her letter and was unable. Matt’s pastor read the letter for her, but only after she received a thunderous round of applause for having the courage to even try reading it herself. The procession following the service was kept to immediate family and local firefighters only, so the rest of us lined both sides of the road and saluted as they passed.

All were welcomed back into the school cafeteria for a reception at the end of the services, and styrofoam containers were provided for those who could not stay. We grabbed some food and then headed to the car for our journey home. Before leaving town, however, we paid a visit to the Owego Firefighters Memorial that sits atop a fountain in the town square.

Before getting on the road we stopped for gas at a Valero station near the entrance to 17 West and were shocked when the manager walked out to the pumps and offered us free coffee or soda for the ride home. Another small but meaningful gesture had humbled us once again and the three of us thanked him several times.

The family has requested donations be made to the following in memory of Capt. Matthew Porcari:
Porcari Children Memorial Fund c/o First Niagara Bank, 18 Lake St., Owego, NY 13827
or
Croton Hose Company #3 c/o Tom Donovan, 71 Talcott St., Owego, NY 13827

Regarding my 365 project, this is photo #6 which comes on day #7 (somehow I missed a day) but was an easy subject to decide on.