On Thursday, October 23, 2008 the Connecticut District Exchange Clubs paid tribute to more than 20 Firefighters from across the state.  The recipients representing the Danbury Exchange Club were Firefighter Dave Sabel from the Danbury Fire Department, Captain Jessica Schaad from the Bethel Volunteer Fire Department and Firefighter John Giambruno for the Stony Hill Volunteer Fire Department.

Bethel Volunteer Fire Department
Captain Jessica Schaad

The Bethel Fire Department’s Fireperson of the year is 14 year veteran Captain Jessica Schaad.  Captain Schaad has dedicated many years of service to the department and has gone above and beyond the call of duty in her first year as Captain.

She has spent countless hours responding to hundreds of calls morning, day, and night seven days a week; often putting her home and personal life second to that of her life at the Fire Department.

During one of the most trying periods in the Department’s history, Captain Schaad has been instrumental in integrating daytime staff amongst the volunteer ranks.

Captain Schaad has also taken on the daunting task of being the liaison with new agencies now working with the Bethel Fire Department.

Her selfless dedication as a volunteer to not only the Bethel Fire Department, but the entire community of Bethel is unparalleled by few and

Stony Hill Volunteer Fire Department
Firefighter John Giambruno

After moving to Bethel in 1992, John joined the Stony Hill Volunteer Fire Department in 1994.  He immediately became a certified
Emergency Medical Technician in 1995.  In 1997 he advanced to EMT-Intermediate and in 1999 became a certified firefighter.

John has been a CPR and first aid instructor for the American Red Cross since 1999 and for the last 4 years has served as the Chief Coordinator for the Department’s Saturday event.

He has also served terms as the Department’s Secretary, Vice President, Board of Director Trustee, Assistant EMS Director and is currently the EMS Director.

John is also a member of Stony Hill’s Safety Committee, Grievance Committee and has coordinated the Department’s Fund Drive for the past 6 years.

He has been the recipient of the SHVFD EMS AWARD IN 1998 AND 2000.  He lives in Bethel with his wife Jane, son John and daughter Jillian.

High Honor Control

DANBURY -- Dave Sabel is used to dealing with people who are confused, flustered or upset.

His may be the first voice callers hear when they dial 911 to report a fire or to seek help in an emergency.

"I keep in mind that we meet people when they have a crisis, and our primary job is to mitigate that," said Sabel, a Danbury Fire Department dispatcher.

"We're the first contact point, and we have to be able to sort through what they're telling us and decide what kind of help to send to them."

Sabel, a career firefighter since 1979 and a volunteer for six years before that, is being honored by the Exchange Club of Danbury tonight at its annual Firefighter of the Year dinner. The event is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. at Anthony's Lake Club.

"It's something that we do every year," said Joe DaSilva, chairman for the dinner. "We have a good time, and I think the firefighters appreciate it."

The club also sponsors a Danbury Police Officer of the Year dinner in the spring.

Born and raised in Plainville, Sabel moved to Danbury in 1973 when his wife, Linda, took a job in the city. He joined the Citizens Hose Company volunteer department "just to meet some people," and liked it enough that he took the civil service test and was eventually appointed to the career department.

Sabel spent 12 years as a line firefighter before moving into the dispatch office when the city adopted a 911 emergency system in 1989.

For the past several years, he's helped train new firefighters to handle dispatch duties.

The dispatcher's responsibilities don't end after the fire trucks are out the door of the fire house, he said.

"If the chief calls from the field and needs something, whether it's a sand truck or someone from the Health Department or Building Department, it's our job to find it for him," Sabel said. "We are the link."

The Sabels have two grown children, David and Lindsey. Sabel was active in the Boy Scouts when his son was growing up and served on the Danbury Board of Education from the late 1990s until 2001.

He said he was "amazed" to learn he would receive the Exchange Club award.

Sabel will also be recognized by the state Exchange Club during its annual dinner for firefighters later this month in Southington, DaSilva said.