Princeton NJ Non-Profit Press Releases

Princeton First Aid & Rescue Squad Members Recognized with Annual Awards

PRINCETON, N.J. – Princeton First Aid & Rescue Squad (PFARS) is pleased to recognize current and former members for their service to the community. Twenty-five individuals were honored for their dedication to PFARS and commitment to serving Princeton and surrounding communities at a ceremony this summer.

Those recognized devoted more than 125 years of combined service in 2021. The top-five individuals alone dedicated 3,355 hours on duty, while the top-ten call responders answered 1,425 calls last year.

Among the honorees was Jennifer Lennon, who in her first year as a volunteer member tallied the top hours on duty, with 952 hours, and the top number of calls responded to, with 234 calls, in 2021. For her dedication and commitment, she was awarded the Extra Mile Award along with her One Year Certificate.

Frank Setnicky, former PFARS Chief and Director of Operations, was honored with the Michael Kenwood Award for his courage and sacrifice in the field. A volunteer EMT, Kenwood, 39, lost his life in August 2011 responding to a swift-water rescue on Rosedale Road during Hurricane Irene.

PFARS President Mark Freda said a few words to acknowledge Lennon, Setnicky, and other current and former members for their dedicated, ongoing contributions.

“I am inspired every day by the commitment of our members to fulfill the squad’s mission of saving lives, relieving the suffering of the sick and injured, and promoting safety,” said Freda. “Our volunteer members have a deep connection with the Princeton community and the service they provide directly impacts people daily, which cultivates an incredible sense of purpose. The professional volunteers of this organization can feel an immense sense of accomplishment and pride in the work they do. I congratulate these individuals on reaching important milestones, especially as the need for emergency services volunteers here in Princeton, and across the country, has significantly increased in recent years.”

The following individuals were recognized:

Top Rescue Call Responders for 2021, based on percent of calls:

Patrick Richichi               

James Ferry                     

Jennifer Lennon               

Bryan Hill                            

Andrew Nagle                   

Chip Sugg 

Top Ten EMS Call Responders for 2021, number of calls:

Jennifer Lennon, 234  

Cecilia Lawton, 215

Branden Quirinale, 179

Simon Pankove, 135  

Allison Persky, 135

Allison Chou, 114

Nancy Tran, 110   

Angela Zhou, 106

Brinda Suresh, 103

Ari Meisel 94

Top Five Hours on Duty for 2021           

Jennifer Lennon, 952  

Branden Quirinale, 647

CC Lawton, 624

Allison Chou, 595

Angela Zhou, 537

Top Call-Taker Award                     

Jennifer Lennon 

Top Hours on Duty Award            

Jennifer Lennon      

Extra Mile Award

Jennifer Lennon  

One Year Certificates

Allison Chou

Akhilesh Gurram

Jennifer Lennon   

Olivia Meyerson

Saahil Noupada

Brinda Suresh

5 Year Award                     

Lana Musa          

Adam Musa

Chip Sugg            

10 Year Award                  

Meredith Sferra

20 Year Award                  

Dan Hudson

35 Year Award                  

Frank Setnicky

40 Year Award                  

Mark Sanders  

Member of The Year Award        

Nancy Tran  

Michael Kenwood Award             

Frank Setnicky

xxx

About the Princeton First Aid & Rescue Squad

Princeton First Aid & Rescue Squad (PFARS) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that is independent of the Municipality of Princeton and depends on the generous contributions made by individuals, corporations, and foundations to fulfill its mission to save lives, relieve the suffering of the sick and injured, and promote safety. Founded in 1939, its membership today consists of 62 volunteers, 8 career staff and a full-time chief serving Princeton. PFARS also provides mutual aid coverage to many of the surrounding municipalities. To ensure the delivery of rapid and skillful care, crews are scheduled in the squad’s Mount Lucas Road headquarters 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For more information, visit https://pfars.org/.