9.9.2025 MEMA presents citations to Fall River EMA

some citations out, some awards out, and I'm going to turn it over to Rick Aguia to make the presentation and have the members come down from the state to make the awards before we begin the council meeting.

I know what

Thank you. Mr.

Thank you, Joe, for allowing us to have this here at the city council meeting.

So, I wanted to do a This is before the meeting. Let's make it official. We're not in the meeting yet. I'm letting you use the Okay. So, we prior to the meeting.

We're just using the chambers.

This is uh Don Brenley, Mr. Alan Phillips, and Nate Crotchet U from MIMA.

So my members who are EMA members part of the fire department special service unit um did an extraordinary job at the Gabriel House fire by providing rehab to firefighters, the police, EMS um transporting the people displaced families or displaced residents, 37 of them to the Gabriel House from Gabriel House down to the TO center. But most importantly, they set the morg up for the disase displac deceased members of

Gabriel House. There was 10 of them. So they did a heroic job. So because emergency management members never get uh recognition from anyone, we felt that they should get recognized for their great work they do for the city and for the state as well. Director, thanks.

Hey, good evening. Um, so thank you so much for the opportunity to come um before you guys uh and the our fellow public safety leaders. I really appreciate it. Um, most importantly, I'm really honored to be in front of our our dedicated volunteers of the Fall River Special Services team and their families. So, my name is Don Brantley. I am the director of Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and it

really is my profound honor to stand before you tonight and express the Commonwealth's deepest gratitude for the extraordinary commitment, compassion, and professionalism demonstrated by the Fall River Fire Department special services volunteer emergency management team during and after the Gabriel House tragedy.

On the night of Sunday, July 13th, a devastating five alarm fire engulfed the Gabriel House assisted living facility, a building of some 100 units housing around 70 residents, many of whom had limited mobility or relied on medical oxygen. The blaze tragically claimed the lives of 10 residents and injured more than 30 others, including six firefighters. And as I understand it, it

stands as the deadliest residential fire in Massachusetts in more than four decades.

Faced with this catastrophe, your firefighters, your police, and your EMS under extreme and dangerous conditions, performed rescues, and supporting them and ensuring that they could execute their life-saving work without interruption, stood the volunteers of special services. The special services team provided essential support functions that often remain unseen, yet without which the response

would not have been possible.

The chief shared that this team went far beyond what is expected of them and did everything asked without hesitation.

This team rapidly established three rehab stations delivering critical relief including hydration, rest, and medical attention to firefighters, police, and EMS personnel, operating again under extreme stress and exhaustion. They installed lighting on the fire ground and established a command center ensuring coordination and communications remained strong throughout the response. And as

residents were displaced, they worked in concert with the Cozy Bus Company and Tomeo Center. I hope I'm saying that correctly. To um staffed by the Spindle City Church to transport and shelter survivors and then assisted them upon arrival.

And with solemn respect, they also established a temporary morg for the deceased residents of Gabriel House, honoring the dignity of those lost lives.

And so tonight, it's my honor to recognize these individuals who served with dedication and compassion, providing the vital support that kept the entire emergency response moving forward. I want to underscore for everyone why emergency management teams like your special services are such an indispensable part of public safety. As we heard already, they often go unrecognized.

They care for those who care for others.

By providing rehab and relief, they sustain the strength of firefighters, police, and EMS so that rescue efforts can continue. They manage the behind-the-scenes complexity.

Running lighting, command post, shelters, transportation may not make headlines, but these actions hold the response together. An emergency management serves as the wizard behind the curtain, working to ensure that everyone has what they need to execute an effective response. and they deliver compassion with action.

Helping displaced families into a shelter, arranging transport, and ensuring dignity for the deceased shows how emergency management is about more than yellow vests and logistics.

It's about humanity. So to the to Chief Aguar Aguar and the entire special services team, you gave your community exactly what was needed when it was most needed. Your service went beyond expectations.

So, thank you. Um, we have a certificate for each of you uh that reads, "In recognition of your exceptional performance in emergency management during the Fall River fire on July 13, 2025, your dedication and hard work have made a significant impact on Fall River.

So, these are in no particular order, mostly because I assembled them and just sort of stacked them randomly.

Uh, and please, uh, if I mispronounce your name, please tell me the correct pronunciation because I'd love to know.

So, Lieutenant Robert Coria,

Lieutenant Victor Farius, Commander Jeffrey Karen,

Captain Patricia Aguar,

Private Michael Almeida, Private Lynn Beers,

Private Kenneth Leer.

And we have another one for Chief Aguar.

In recognition of your exceptional performance and emergency management during the Fall River fire, your dedication and hard work have made significant impact in Fall River. Thank you.

Good job.

Great job.

Oh, sorry.

Yes sir.

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