Oneida County Volunteer Firemens Association

Utica Man Charged in Connection to Damaging Multiple Emergency Communication and Cellular Towers According to Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol and Utica Po...lice Chief Mark Williams, a City of Utica man has been arrested for damaging multiple properties belonging to the Oneida County Office of Emergency Services and cellular tower companies including AT&T. At the beginning of November, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office and the Utica Police Department began receiving complaints of damage and frequency disruptions to radio and cellular towers within Oneida County. There were also damage reports in Herkimer County. These disruptions were very capable of causing significant danger to both first responders and those in need of help if radio communications or cellular services were interrupted for any length of time. Most recently on December 3, the New Hartford Police Department and the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office responded to National Grid located on Campion Road in the Town of New Hartford for reports of an unauthorized individual that scaled a fence and shut power off attempting to disrupt service to a cellular and communication tower. After attempting to shut the power off, the suspect fled the scene. During this investigation, a vehicle and suspect were identified. After a brief search, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Unit located and arrested Nathaniel Sergio, 38, at his residence in the City of Utica. Sergio was taken into custody and transported to the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office and was charged with Criminal Trespass, a class B misdemeanor and Criminal Tampering, a class A misdemeanor from this incident at National Grid. During Sergio’s interview with the Sheriff’s Office, he admitted to damaging and attempting to disrupt service at numerous towers within Oneida County and Herkimer County. Sergio was also charged by the Sheriff’s Office with Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree, a class D felony, stemming from an incident which occurred at an Oneida County Office of Emergency Services radio tower located on Higby Road in the Town of New Hartford. On November 10th, damage was located at the radio tower which disrupted radio frequencies for emergency personnel. After Sergio was processed at the Sheriff’s Office, he was arraigned at CAP Court at the Oneida County Jail for the Criminal Mischief 2nd degree, Criminal Trespass, and Criminal Tampering. He was then released on his own recognizance due to New York State’s Bail Reform laws which does not allow bail to be set on these charges even though these allegations could have severely impacted emergency communications for first responders. After Sergio was arraigned and released, he was then transferred to the Utica Police Department for their investigation and charges stemming from damage done to several cellular and radio towers located within the City of Utica. As previously mentioned, the Utica Police Department became involved in the investigation following reports of vandalism at several towers located on Lomond Place, Rutger Street, and Tilden Avenue in Utica. It was learned that significant damage in several locations had occurred at these properties over the last month further hampering the communication networks. So far in their investigation, the Utica Police Department has charged Sergio with Criminal Tampering in the first degree and Criminal Mischief in the second degree. Sergio was arraigned a short time ago on the Utica charges and was again released due to New York State’s Bail Reform laws. In summary, the current charges by both the Sheriff’s Office and the Utica Police that Sergio is facing includes (2) counts of Criminal Mischief in the second degree, (2) counts of Criminal Tampering, and one count of Criminal Trespass all of which he was released on his own recognizance as a result of New York State’s Bail Reform laws. Both the Utica Police and the Sheriff’s Office are anticipating additional charges following the completion of the several remaining investigations that include damage to property and the disruptions of tower related services. During the course of these incidents and investigations, additional assistance was provided by the New York State Police, the Whitestown Police Department and the New Hartford Police Department.

https://fasny.cmail19.com//23105231AD7533AAB293071E44455AC4

As the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted, municipalities and fire departments across our state are facing an escalating affordability crisis. The financial futu...re of our municipalities and of the fire service must be safeguarded. Every ambulance provider in NYS is permitted to recover EMS costs - except for volunteer fire departments that run EMS services. S3685B/A1778A (Brooks/Jones) will secure this funding and improve response capability. Learn more about the bill and contact your Assembly member today through this link: https://cqrcengage.com/fasny/?0

Award nominations are now open for 2021! Nominate now for: Recruitment and Retention Award Youth Mentor of the Year Firefighter of the Year... EMS Provider of the Year Teacher of the Year Fire Safety Educator of the Year Fire Service Community Achievement Award Youth Group of the Year Submit your nominations here: https://fasny.com/awards/ #FASNY #awards

Does your department need help when it comes to recruitment? Located right on the FASNY website, you can view a variety of resources to help your department with its recruitment efforts. Just visit this link: https://www.recruitny.org/

A benefit of the volunteer fire service is training. This video is from a recent propane training. Learn more about the volunteer fire service and join a department near you: https://fireinyou.org/ #afireinyou

Join the National Volunteer Fire Council & VFIS - Firefighter & EMS for a free webinar on Dec. 2 on Harassment in the Fire Hall. Learn how to identify harassmen...t, the importance of creating and enforcing policies on harassment, and how to make your department a welcoming and supportive place for all. https://bit.ly/3oCwgtr See more

3 times more cooking fires happen on thanksgiving then any any day of the year. Watch what you heat. https://www.nfpa.org//Resources/Safety-/CookingSafety.ashx

Please share: https://youtu.be/kjUynq0HXdQ

Today members from the Believe 271 Foundation attended the benefit for Assistant Chief Jason Lewin of the Vernon Fire department. Thanks to ALL of your support ...of our mission since it’s inception, we were able to present Jay and his family with a check to support his medical fight now and in the future. We’d like to thank Chief Scott Nell for his support with the application process. Jason, your fight is our fight. See more

Thank you Matt and Lisa Wilsey for spreading our message that no one will fight cancer or life threatening illnesses in the volunteer fire service ever again! We appreciate you!

Our Thursday, November 19, 2020 meeting at Poland Fire Department has been cancelled. With the number of COVID-19 positive cases in Oneida County on the increase, there continues to be a need to social distance and wear masks. Therefore, the decision was made to cancel this meeting for the safety of all members in attendance. The decision etc with this is what caused the delay with this mailing. The 2021 tentative meeting dates are January 21, March 18, May 20, Convention in... Clark Mills TBA , September 16, November 18. Clark Mills will still be the host for the 2021 convention. Anyone that bought an ad for 2020 will not be asked to buy another for 2021. More details to come. If you have a Facebook page with an event posted that you would like posted on our Oneida County VFA Facebook page, contact the secretary we can share. If you don’t have a Facebook page and would like it on our page, please email the information to the our secretary. Information will not be accepted by any other method. 2021 dues notices will be sent out in January. Please make sure your treasurer does not confuse us with the Chiefs Association. Over the years we have received several calls etc, because of this confusion results when another dues notice is received. Please take the time to get your delegates email address and return it your with payment. An email address is vital for notification of meetings and other events. We have one open Fire Advisory Board representative position which is a 2 year term. Contact President Marianne Baker or the secretary if interested. Fire Advisory Board representatives shall report on the activities, meetings and other information concerning the Counties Fire Advisory Board, The fire advisory board job is to maintain fire training and Mutual Aid programs for the services that firefighters would be involved with. It consists of seven representatives from each of the Oneida County Volunteer Fireman's Association, Oneida County Fire Chief Association and Oneida County Board of Legislators. Stay safe and healthy. Happy Holidays to everyone! See you in 2021!

https://fasny.com/legislation/scorecard/

Due to the rise in the Covid 19 rate the November meeting in Poland has been canceled.