Top photo (L to R) Firefighter Edward Reilly from Rescue 4, Bob Hubert from Synagro Technologies, Firefighter Vincent Brindisi from Rescue 4 and Lt. George Torres from Rescue 4. The firefighters applauded Mr. Hubert for his help and diligent work during the rescue in September. Bottom photo (L to R) Paramedic Joseph Ruiz of Station 57, Lt. Michael McCarthy of EMS Station 32, Division Medical Director Dr. Glenn Asaeda and Deputy Chief Jonathan Pistilli of EMS Divison 3

Firefighters from Engine 238, Ladder 106, Rescue 2, Rescue 4 and the Rescue Battalion, as well as EMS personnel from EMS Stations 32 and 57 and EMS Division 3, were honored by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on Dec. 4 for a dramatic rescue of a worker in September.

“The members of these units worked carefully, but quickly, in arduous conditions to free this man,” said Brooklyn Borough Commander Edward Kilduff during the ceremony at the Newtown Waste Treatment Facility. “They did a phenomenal job.”

On Sept. 24, 2008, an employee of Skanska USA Building was cleaning a sludge tank at the Newtown Facility in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, when he became trapped in the 50-foot deep, pressurized tank. He was stuck from the waist down in sludge, but he was conscious.

“This was a substantial decon job,” said Deputy Chief Michael Marrone of Division 11, who served as the job’s incident commander.

It took more than three hours to free the man, using a number of rescue methods, including creating a mechanical rescue harness,

setting up fans for positive pressure, using water to loosen the sludge, and removing sludge manually and hydraulically.

”We had to try plan A, B, C and D to get him out,” said Lt. George Torres of Rescue 4. “We all worked together and everyone did a great job.”

All units received a certificate of appreciation. A $3,000 check also was donated by Skanska to the Firefighter Terry Farrell Scholarship Fund, honoring the firefighter who worked at Rescue 4 when he was killed on Sept. 11, 2001.