On Saturday May 17th 2008, at 0830 hours, Dunkirk Firefighters participated in the first annual Highrise Stair Climb. Entree fees for this event were:
Lt. Brown and FF. Pencek were the captains of Local 616's first vessels for the City of Dunkirk's Wreck & Roll Festival's Ya Gotta Regatta Race. 616 members, under the direction of Lt. Brown spent numerous hours constructing 2 vessels to participate in. On June 21st, the event was held and both vessels received awards. FF. Pencek a.k.a. "Hank the Tank" was the captain of "Lil Squirt." This vessel won the award of best sinker, because as soon as he left the start line, he started to sink but still managed to keep his American flag above water. The joke of his voyage is that he was representing Dunkirk's Relief Man Society Local 919, (in other context) because the 616 quickly turned to 919 upside down. Lt. Brown a.k.a. "Captain Brown" was the captain of "Heat Wave," 616's rendition of a mini fire boat. Heat Wave won the most creative award, and the vessel stayed afloat, but it wasn't maneuvering as well as planned. Crews and spectators truly enjoyed the experience, and look forward to more vessels next year for the 2nd annual event. The Dunkirk Dive Team was present with Boat 1 and their loaned PWC to stand by for the event, as well as the Chautauqua County Sheriffs Department vessel CX503. LINK TO CITY WRECK & ROLL PAGE (PHOTOS BY ALLEN HOLLANDER)
2008 was an exceptional year for the Dunkirk Professional Firefighters Association's annual M.D.A. Boot Drive. Through 2 days of collection, one at Wal Mart and one at the traditional location of Central and Fourth Street, members collected $ 5,400.00 significantly exceeding the 2007 total of $ 3,700.00 . 616 M.D.A. PAGE (PHOTOS BY ALLEN HOLLANDER
At 0845 hours on September 11th 2008, The Dunkirk Professional Firefighters Association conducted a September 11th Remembrance Ceremony at City Hall. The Master of Ceremonies was Local 616 President Lt. Michael Edwards. The Dunkirk Professional Firefighters Association Color Guard was present, along with the membership to honor those who lost their lives on that tragic day seven years ago. The ceremony began with the posting of colors by the Color Guard and the singing of our national anthem by Dunkirk High School Senior Hannah Wentz. FF Joel Ahrens played taps, and the singing of God Bless America was performed by Jody Pasquale. Remarks were made by Captain Allen Loeb, Fire Chief Keith Ahlstrom, Police Chief David Ortolano, City Mayor Richard Frey, Union President Lt. Michael Edwards, City Schools Superintendent Gary Cerne, and Legislator Robert Duff. LINK TO OBSERVER ARTICLE
On Memorial Day 2009, The Dunkirk Professional Firefighters Association Local 616 Honor Guard marched in the Annual City of Dunkirk Memorial Day Parade. This is the first parade the unit has participated in. The Honor Guard was organized in 2008, under the direction of Firefighter Joseph Michalski and Retired Lieutenant Thomas Brown. The members that marched in the parade were Ret-Lt. Brown, MTO/Lt. Gary Katta, Union President/Lt. Michael Edwards, FF. Robert Trzaska, FF. Michalski, FF. James Muscato, FF. Anthony Thomas, FF. Jared Meyer, and FF. Paul Trippy. The performance in the parade was a success, and members hope to participate in future local parades with greater numbers. During the parade, FF. Trzaska was commended for his tours with the U.S. Army, as he has returned from his third tour overseas. (PHOTOS BY ALLEN HOLLANDER) 
Local 616 members Jim Ellman, Matt Hanlon, Tony Thomas, Paul Trippy, Robert Thompson, Jason Kirell, Gary Katta, and Hank Pencek were the winners of the first annual Dunkirk Wreck and Roll Hose Races. This marks the second time that Local 616 has participated with a hose race team, and has won both events. There were 8 teams competing in the races held at 1800 hrs on Friday night, 2 from Sunset Bay Fire Company, and one team from Fredonia Hooks and Hose, East Dunkirk Fire, Sheridan Fire, and Stockton Fire.Members Michael Edwards, Joseph Michalski, and Anthony Thomas constructed a boat out of plywood and air filled fire hose to participate in the annual Ya-Gotta Regatta held Saturday afternoon in the rain. Members Todd Ellman and Hank Pencek also participated as they navigated the waters in a Little Tykes Bed constructed to float. Boat 1 manned by Gary Katta and Patrick Ossman was in the water assisting participants of the regatta (PHOTOS BY ALLEN HOLLANDER) 
At 0945 hours the Dunkirk Professional Firefighters Association held a the second annual 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony at City Hall. Captain Allen Loeb, Chief Keith Ahlstrom, Union President Lt. Michael Edwards, Mayor Richard Frey and Dunkirk Police Lt. Richard Kaus all spoke in front of the crowd. Firefighters Joseph Michalski and Donald Piglowski were recognized by Chief Ahlstrom for assisting injured victims in a motor vehicle accident while returning from the funeral ceremony in Buffalo on 8/28/09. Joanne Michalski opened the ceremony by singing the national anthem. Jodi Pasquale closed the ceremony by singing "God Bless America" and taps were played by Firefighter Joel Ahrens. The Dunkirk Professional Firefighters Association Honor Guard presented the colors for the event. (PHOTOS BY ALLEN HOLLANDER AND LISA LOEB)
Many communities, including our own, will be holding 9/11 ceremonies this Friday, Sept. 11. It is a day to remember the tragic events that occurred eight years ago on that day in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pa. It has also become a day to honor firefighters, police officers and EMS workers.As a firefighter, I am very appreciative for all of the expressions of gratitude. I am very proud of my colleagues. They are very dedicated and work hard daily in many ways unseen to prepare for any and every emergency imaginable and in my 30 years in the fire service, I have seen them perform many brave and unselfish acts.Although it is honorable to enter into, endure the training and become an active member of any of the emergency services, there are those whose dedication and sacrifice far exceeds any other, those that have made what is called the supreme sacrifice, those that have lost their lives in the performance of their duties. The dozens of police officers and more than 300 firefighters who died on Sept. 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center are fine examples. Their desperate desire to aid those in peril inspired them to acts of extreme bravery, never before had so many lay down their lives in a single day. Their efforts were not in vain as tens of thousands were aided in escaping the towers and the heroism witnessed that day inspired the nation to persevere. We are, after all, the land of the free and the home of the brave.Today the bravest of the brave continue to perform their duties on the streets of America's cities as they did before 9/11. Just days ago on Aug. 24 in the early morning hours, the Buffalo Fire Department was confronted by what appeared to be by all accounts a desperate cry for help from deep within a burning building. Lt. Chip McCarthy and Firefighter Jonathan Croom responded in the finest tradition of their department. Though they faced great obstacles, their efforts to save another's life were tenacious and unyielding and they, too, like so many before them, laid down their own lives.On Sept. 11, we salute them all.In 2009, the Dunkirk Professional Firefighters Association greatly exceeded our pledge for the Annual M.D.A. Boot Drive. Collections received at Wal Mart on August 15th and at Central and Fourth on September 4th totaled $6,600.00. Firefighter Anthony Thomas is the chairman of the M.D.A. committee and the members of Local 616 would like to thank everybody who helped us achieve this accomplishment. (PHOTOS BY PAUL TRIPPY AND ALLEN HOLLANDER)
