| Last night, The Selden Fire Department was proud to name seven-year-old Michael Sitler as a Junior Firefighter. On Friday August 22nd, Michael was playing in the basement of his Selden home when he heard his mother, Sunny Sitler, collapse upstairs. Michael calmly called 911 and described the scene to the dispatcher during the three minutes it took for Selden firefighters and Suffolk police to arrive. Throughout the incident, Michael was able to reassure his four-year-old sister, Karlie, and soothe their dog, Chance.
For his courage and remarkable poise under pressure, the Selden Fire Department honored Michael in a special ceremony on August 26th. Michael was sworn in as a Junior Firefighter and awarded a certificate for bravery and merit bar by Chief Joseph Leavens. Attendees to the ceremony included Selden Assistant Fire Chief David Panebianco, the Suffolk County dispatcher who handled the call, other Selden firefighters, and Selden police officers.
“It was very significant,” Assistant Chief Michael Matteo said of Michael’s reactions, adding that it’s rare that young children have the poise and maturity to rise to such a challenge. “If he didn’t keep a cool, calm demeanor on the phone and wasn’t able to get the information to the dispatcher, the outcome could have been totally different.” |
