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West Islip resident named NYS Volunteer Fireman of the Year
"What you did that day was the stuff of movies. They say that baseball players and singers are heroes, but they aren't. You are a real hero," said Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy. On January 5, 2006, Cinotti was on his way to his daughter's first birthday party when he came upon a Higbie Lane home engulfed in flames. Without backup or protective gear, he rescued a 78-year old man and his dog before the home exploded, which he attributes to the intense firefighter training he received from the West Islip Department. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Being named volunteer firefighter of the year makes the fire department, the community and all its residents proud," said Roger Putnam Chairman of The Firemen's Association of the State of New York (FASNY) who said that last year's winner was a Suffolk County firefighter in Holbrook.
According to Putnam, volunteers in Suffolk County have won three of the last four years and 26 of the last 51 years since the award's inception. Cinotti was a mere 17-year old when he volunteered for the Levittown fire department and went on to the West Islip Department when he relocated to the area five years ago. When he isn't volunteering he is working at MacArthur Airport in Fire Rescue. "When he was younger he would hop in his car and follow the fire trucks. I thought he was nuts," shrugged his non-firefighting father when asked where his son got his love of fire fighting. Although he got "yelled at" by both his firehouse and real families for not protecting himself, 33-year old Cinotti has already received numerous thanks and commendations for his heroic deed. He was awarded the Peter Brennan Medal of Valor, Islip Town's highest honor, was named Southern New York Firefighter of the Year and was honored by Firehouse Magazine. He was also presented a citation and a NYS Liberty Medal by New York State Senator Owen Johnson. "It was well worth it. The heat was intense but once the adrenaline and training kicked in, I just acted," said Cinotti, a father of three, who said the fire on that day at Adrian Woodward's home was started by a faulty electrical wire. Mr. Woodward has since passed away from an illness. Cinotti's wife of 4 and a half years, Christine, says that although her husband is a humble man, he deserves all the praise.
"We are so proud of him and we love him," she said.
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